In the last few weeks, there has been news appearing in print and electronic media regarding The Election commission of India (ECI) has developed prototype for a Multi-Constituency Remote Voting Machine (RVM) and soon they will demonstrate the working in the meeting where representatives of all political parties will be present. As per ECI this is being done, amid concerns over migration-based disenfranchisement, to boost voter turnout and strengthen India’s democratic process.
The problem of migration-based disenfranchisement:
- While registered voters do not end up voting for a variety of reasons, domestic migration is driven by marriage, natural disasters, employment, etc.
- As per the 2011 census, there are nearly 45.36 Cr migrants in India (both intra and interstate)-ie nearly 37% of the country’s population.
- These migrants are unable to vote, denying a large chunk of the population its franchise.
- The ECI had formed a committee, which recommended (in 2016) internet voting, proxy voting, early voting, and postal ballots for the migrant population. This was rejected due to concerns like lack of secrecy, and the lack of sanctity of the one person one vote principle.
- Thus a technological solution was proposed which allows voters to vote remotely, in a safe and controlled environment.
The proposed solution- Remote Voting Machines:
- RVMs are developed by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL).
- The RVMs are stand-alone non-networked systems, allowing voters from multiple constituencies to vote using the same machine.
- They will be set up in remote locations outside the state under similar conditions as current polling booths.
Unique features of RVMs:
- A single remote ballot unit (RBU)- To cater to multiple constituencies ( as many as 72) by using a dynamic ballot display board instead of the usual printed paper ballot sheets on EVMs.
- Ballot unit overlay display (BUOD)- It will show the requisite candidates based on the constituency number read on the voter’s constituency-based voter’s constituency card, which can be read by a scanning system.
The voting process:
- After verifying voters’ identity, their constituency card will be read with a public display showing the constituency details and candidates.
- This will also be displayed privately (on the BUOD in RVM’s RBU) and the voter will then vote, and each vote will be stored constituency-wise in the control unit.
- The voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) system is expected to work along the same lines as the new technology.
Concerns:
The system will have issues, such as Migrants are not a uniform and defined class, with fluid identities, locations, and situations. Secondly, remote voting can theoretically provide an added edge to bigger parties, and richer candidates who can campaign across the constituency and beyond. And lastly, some political parties are still not accepting Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), as before every election they start demanding voting by ballot papers; they are definitely going to raise a hue and cry for the introduction of RVMs.
Challenges:
There is a problem that will have to be resolved before the introduction of RVMs –
1 ‘Representation of the People Act 1950. This Act requires voters to be enrolled only in the constituency where they are ordinarily resident. If they migrate to work, study, marry, etc., they must apply for enrolment at their new residence and get their names deleted from the old list, and this is a very cumbersome process and most of the voters avoid doing this. The Act also dictates that voters must be physically present at the polling station to vote. The option of the postal ballot is only available to service voters, foreign mission staff, people engaged in essential services, those over the age of 80, and persons with disabilities or Covid-positive persons.
Therefore Amendments will be required in the Representation of the People Act 1950 and 1951. Conduct of Election rules 1961, and The Registration of Electors Rules 1960. The migrant voter will need to be defined in terms of period and purpose of absence.
2 Enumerating remote voters, ensuring secrecy of voting at remote locations, preventing impersonation, deciding the number and location of remote polling booths, appointing polling personnel for remote polling stations, and implementing model code in locations outside the poll-bound state.
3 Procedure of remote polling, familiarizing voters with multi-constituency RVM, counting votes cast at remote booths, and transmitting results to returning officers in the poll-bound state.
Resolving these issues will require wider consultations with various legal and political stakeholders.
The EC has invited all recognized eight national and 57 state political parties on 16th January 2023 to demonstrate the functioning of the RVM and has asked for their written views by 31st January 2023.
In my opinion, this is a very good move, and if India can achieve this it will feather in the cap of ECI, and India will become the first country in the world for conducting voting by Remote Voting Machines. But with the present political scenario, I think only a few political parties will give their concurrence for this system, and the rest will criticize it.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
10th January 2023