Google has launched a new tool as part of its elections portal offering ‘ >google.co.in/elections ’, called ‘Know Your Candidates’.

The new tool will allow citizens to access relevant information about political candidates contesting from their constituency and their incumbent Member of Parliament.

This tool integrates publicly available information sourced from Indian organisations such as the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), PRS Legislative Research and Liberty Institute India, Google said in a statement.

The tool will provide valuable information for each sitting Lok Sabha MP and contesting candidates such as their disclosed educational background, financial details and social media presence (wherever available), including video bios of the candidates provided by Ping networks.

Mapped onto Google Maps interface, citizens will be able to find the information by using the pin codes of their area or by zooming on their locality on the map. The tool will be updated regularly to provide information about all candidates as they get finalised and will be made available at least a week before the voting day in each constituency.

“With the launch of this tool, we have added all the important information of the contesting candidates with the help of groups such as ADR and PRS Legislative Research who have been doing a stellar job of collating all the important information about the candidates. We hope that making this information easily accessible will help Indian voters learn more about candidates running for public office and help them to make an informed decision,” Rajan Anandan, V-P and Managing Director of Google India, said.

>rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in

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