EC develops prototype of remote voting machine for domestic migrant voters

The multi-constituency remote EVM, developed by a public sector undertaking, can handle up to 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth

The Election Commission has developed a prototype of a remote voting machine to facilitate domestic migrant voters to cast votes without taking the trouble of travelling to constituencies where they are enrolled as electors.

The poll-panel has invited all the recognized state and national political parties on January 16 for a demonstration of the functioning of the prototype of the multi-constituency remote Electronic Voting Machine. It has also asked the political parties to convey it their views on multiple issues associated with potential use of the new machines, including changes required in legislation as well as in administrative procedures and voting methods for the domestic migrants.

The EC in association the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) has modified the M3 version of the Electronic Voting Machine to developed a multi-constituency Remote Voting Machine (RVM) for facilitating participation of domestic migrants from the places of their current residence for voting for their home constituencies.

Also Read | Congress opposes remote voting for migrant workers, calls for restoring trust in electoral system

The modified form of the EVM can facilitate voting in up to 72 multiple constituencies from a single remote polling booth located outside the constituencies going to polls.

The commission stated that each RVM, like the currently used EVM, would function as a stand-alone non-networked system. It would have the same security features as the existing EVM. The RVM would be used in multi-constituency polling stations set up in the remote locations and a single ballot unit would cater multiple assembly and parliamentary constituencies by using dynamic ballot display instead of the usual printed paper ballot sheet on the ballot units of the currently used EVM.

“The initiative, if implemented, can lead to a social transformation for the migrants and allow them to connect with their roots,” the EC stated on Thursday.

The proposed system of using the RVM will include the domestic migrant pre-registering for remote voting by applying online or offline within the pre-notified time before elections.

The request will be approved after verification of details at the home constituency followed by establishment of remote voting polling stations in the places of the current residence of the migrant voters, the EC proposed in its letter to the political parties.

The commission in its letter to the political parties noted that the number of registered voters across the country rose from 17.32 crore in the first parliamentary elections in 1951 to 91.20 crore in the last parliamentary elections in 2019. The voter turnout increased from 45.67% in 1961 to 66.44% in 2014 and 67.40% in 2019.

The EC expressed concerned over stagnating participation in the voting process and pointed it out that about nearly 30 crore voters did not exercise their franchise in the last two general elections. It identified internal migration as one of the prominent reasons contributing to low voter turnouts, apart from apathy of the urban population, particularly the youths. It also noted that domestic migrants often do not get enrolled as voters in their places of work due to various reasons, including frequent change in residences and lack of social and emotional connect with the issues of area of migration, unwillingness to get themselves struck out of the electoral rolls in home constituencies where they have permanent residences and properties.

The Supreme Court on June 25, 2015 directed the EC to explore giving remote voting options for domestic migrants.

The EC sought the views of the political parties on amendments required in the Representation of People’s Act 1950 and 1951, the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The other legal challenges in using the RVMs include defining migrant voters and remote voters. The administrative challenges include enumerating remote voters, ensuring secrecy of voting at remote locations, appointment of polling personnel and provision of polling agents in remote booths and ensuring identification of voters to avoid impersonation and implementation of the Model Code of Conduct in remote locations. The commission is also keen to discuss with the political parties the technological challenges like method of remote voting, familiarity of the migrant voters with the process and counting of votes cast at remote booths.