Now its time for Google to have election fever

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Competing with its rival Yahoo, search giant Google India today announced the launch of an online elections center, a co-marketed initiative with Hindustan Times Media.

Last week only Yahoo India had launched a website, Elections.Yahoo.in, specially designed for the Lok Sabha elections this year.

The Google site is based on the similar concept but with a few additional features such as voters from across the country can confirm their voter registration status, discover their polling location, view their constituency on a map, consume relevant election-related news, blogs, videos, and quotations.

Developed in collaboration with NGOs such as the Association for Democratic Reforms, Indicus Analytics, the Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, the Liberty Institute and PRS Legislative Research, the initiative aims to create an atmosphere in which Indian citizens actively seek and utilize important information about their democracy, said a press release.

According to Shailesh Rao, managing director, Google India, “Being an informed voter is a prerequisite for the healthy functioning of India’s democracy. While this is especially true during all elections cycles, we have this year observed many initiatives that have sought to promote access to election-related information in India.”

He further said that keeping in mind their global mission of organizing the world’s information and making it universally accessible and useful, they have created this elections center to highlight some of the most important information available to voters in India today.

Through this site voters can understand the progress of development in their constituency, and consider data relating to their current and potential representatives in parliament.

The voter may examine data highlighting, for instance - any changes in literacy, poverty, and employment rates in the constituency since the previous general election.

The voter may then consider the educational credentials and attendance record of his or her current Member of Parliament and some of the qualifications of those candidates contesting in this year’s election, said the release.

Subsequently, the voter may review pertinent news, blogs, videos, and quotes from a range of local organizations and individuals.

Finally, the voter may search for his or her name in the voter rolls to confirm his or her registration and to receive information about the accompanying polling station.

“This time the 18 to 35 age group accounts for almost 40 per cent of the electorate. This chunk of young voters is good with technology and wants to make sure they elect the right people,” said Sanjoy Narayan, editor-in-chief of Hindustan Times Media Limited.

Google's website is available at www.hindustantimes.com/loksabha2009 and www.livemint.com/loksabha2009in English and www.livehindustan.com/loksabha2009 in Hindi, added the release.

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