Exploring tech-based remote voting; political consensus needed for it: EC

The Election Commission officials has informed a parliamentary panel exploring technology-based remote voting solutions while asserting that political consensus is the way forward for introducing this voting methodology in the country, sources said on Friday.

Officials also informed the panel that the commission had initially explored options with reputed academic institutions for blockchain based internet voting, sources said.

Top officials of the Election Commission on Thursday made a power point presentation before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Personnel chaired by senior BJP leader Sushil Modi.

They also informed the panel that world over remote voting is mostly postal via paper ballot, the internet voting has been considered only in exceptional cases, sources said.

Talking about way ahead for remote voting in the country, ECI officials emphasised on the need of "political consensus" among political parties for introduction of this voting methodology, sources said.

The officials also underlined the need for defining remote voting and remote voter, amendment to acts and rules, technology or development of Remote Voting Machines (RVMs), modification of procedures and financial Implications, they said.

Officials also suggested that introduction of remote voting may also require legal changes in electoral roll related provisions, polling booth, territorial concept, conduct of elections, counting and electoral offences, sources said.