The prototype Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RBM) developed by the Election Commission is a welcome development that needs to be encouraged by all political parties in the country.
Release Date – 12:30 AM, Mon – 2 January 23
The prototype Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RBM) developed by the Election Commission is a welcome development that needs to be encouraged by all political parties in the country.
Hyderabad: Low voter turnout, especially in urban areas, has been a concern for electoral authorities. It is directly related to electoral democracy. Facilitating internal migrants to vote in settlements is one of the keys to solving the problem. This will help significantly increase turnout. Remote electronic voting is an idea whose time has come. The prototype Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RBM) developed by the Election Commission is a welcome development that needs to be encouraged by all political parties in the country. According to the 2011 census, 37% of India’s population are immigrants. For years, mail-in ballots have received little response, making it a hassle to return them to their hometowns to exercise their right to vote. Migrants for work, marriage and education make up the majority of the rural population in total internal migration. Immigration-based disenfranchisement is really not an option in an age of technological progress. Voter turnout in the 2019 general election was 67.4%, and the Election Commission is concerned that more than 300 million voters have not exercised their right to vote. With as many as nine states, including Telangana, scheduled to vote this year, followed by general elections in 2024, remote voting facilities could facilitate immigrant participation in the electoral process and increase voter participation. The polling team has invited all recognized political parties – 8 national parties and 57 state parties – on 16 January to demonstrate the capabilities of RVM, which can handle up to 72 constituencies from a single remote polling station.
The RVM initiative, if implemented, can bring about social transformation for immigrants and connect them to their roots. Often, they are reluctant to register at their place of employment for a number of reasons such as frequent changes of residence, not having sufficient social and emotional connection to immigration area issues, unwillingness to have their name removed from electoral rolls in their home constituencies because they have permanent residency rights and property. The ability to vote is key to expressing oneself in the political process. In addition to addressing the legal and technical challenges associated with remote EVM, the EC must address opposition concerns about EVM abuse before expanding its use. Identifying immigrants and counting their numbers is a daunting task. On the technical side, machines must pass the credibility and acceptability tests of all stakeholders. Indian EVMs have proven to be robust and reliable, despite the occasional political noise and conspiracy theories surrounding these machines. Political parties must stop denigrating the technology-driven, foolproof procedures that have won the country’s laurels.
