Remote Voting | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• India is a democracy with universal adult suffrage, but despite an increase in voter registration, there has been a stagnant voter turnout with approximately one-third of eligible voters not casting their vote.
• One of the reasons for low voter turnout is the inability to vote due to internal migration. To address this issue, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has developed a Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM) prototype for migrant voters to vote from remote polling stations.
• The ECI has sought feedback from recognized political parties on various related issues such as changes in legislation, administrative procedures, and the voting method/technology for domestic migrants. However, 16 opposition parties have opposed the proposal for the RVM, citing issues such as unclear definitions and the potential for political anomalies.

Remote Voting

Remote voting refers to methods that enable eligible voters to cast their ballots from locations other than the polling station assigned to their district of residence. This could include both electronic and non-electronic means of voting, and can be done either from within the country or abroad.

Advantages and disadvantages of remote voting solutions

• Remote voting solutions can make voting more accessible for those who live in remote areas, are living abroad, have health conditions that make it difficult to travel, cannot leave their residence on election day, or have other commitments that prevent them from going to a polling station. However, there are drawbacks associated with each remote voting option, and there is no single solution that can guarantee access to voting without presenting risks to the integrity of the vote.
• Some of the main risks associated with all remote voting solutions include the potential need for additional registration or applications, the complexity of organizing remote voting, possible information asymmetry between those who vote remotely and those who vote in person on election day, the risk of fraud, coercion, or other compromises to the integrity of the vote in uncontrolled environments, and the financial and administrative consequences of introducing remote voting methods.
• Political disagreement may arise over the extent and method of voting by a diaspora if it is perceived as advantageous to a particular party.

Online Voting Systems (Pros)

Efficiency Boost

• Online voting systems offer a remarkable advantage in terms of efficiency. Traditional paper-based voting involves several steps, from ballot printing to manual vote counting. All these processes can be eliminated through online voting.
• With an online system, the Government can dispatch electronic ballots to all voters with just a few clicks. Once the voting period ends, the system automatically tallies the results, saving both time and money.

Improved Accuracy

• Compared to traditional paper-based voting systems, online voting systems tend to be more accurate. There is always a possibility of human error with paper ballots, such as miscounting votes or mixing up ballots. 
• However, with online voting, the votes are tallied automatically, leaving no room for human error, and the results are accurate.

Higher Turnout and Voter Engagement

• Online voting can also increase voter turnout as it is more convenient for voters to cast their ballots online instead of going to a physical polling place. Additionally, online elections can enhance voter engagement. 
• Traditional voting can make voters feel disconnected from the process. In contrast, online voting allows voters to view the results in real-time, making them feel more engaged in the process.

Recommendations

• Governments should evaluate the suitability of their current voting systems to meet the needs of their citizens, and consider expanding or adapting remote voting options to make voting more accessible, especially for marginalized groups like people with disabilities, those living abroad, or those in hospitals/nursing homes.
• However, governments must also examine whether remote voting may compromise the legitimacy of elections or pose administrative challenges. Thus, they should weigh the benefits and drawbacks of remote voting before implementing or modifying voting options.

Recent Proposal of Remote Voting for Migrants in India:

The Election Commission (EC) of India is developing a plan to introduce remote voting machines (RVMs) for migrant workers. This measure will enable migrant voters to cast their votes from any location through the RVMs, eliminating the need to travel to their home districts to vote.

Why we need RVM?

The reason why remote voting machines (RVMs) are needed is that even though there is no centralized database available for migration within India, the examination of publicly available data indicates that work, marriage, and education-related migration are crucial components of domestic migration. In terms of overall domestic migration, "out-migration" is more prevalent among the rural population, and about 85% of internal migration takes place within states.

How does the remote electronic voting machine or RVM work?

• The Election Commission plans to set up separate polling booths for remote voting, with each booth covering 72 constituencies. To cast their vote remotely, voters must register online or offline for the remote voting facility before the polling day, within a pre-notified time with the concerned Returning Officer of their home constituency.
• Once the voter is verified and declared eligible for remote voting, a multi-constituency remote polling station will be set up in the area where they are currently staying. The RVMs will have the same security system and voting experience as the Electronic Voting Machine, but with a different electronic ballot display system that shows candidates and symbols instead of a fixed ballot paper sheet.
• To cast their vote, the voter scans their constituency card in the presence of the Presiding Officer at the polling station, and the candidate list for their constituency will appear on the RVM display. The electronic system will also count and store the votes for each candidate in a constituency.

What's remote electronic voting machines RVMs?

• The remote electronic voting machines or RVMs are standalone devices that do not require connectivity to function.
• They are manufactured by the public sector undertakings Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics, and can handle up to 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth.
• The RVM is actually a modified version of the Mark 3 (M3) electronic voting machine.

RVM contains the following components

• The RVM contains several components, including the Remote Control Unit (RCU), the Remote Ballot Unit (RBU), the Remote Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (RVVPAT), the Constituency Card Reader (CCR), the Public Display Control Unit (PDCU), and the Remote Symbol Loading Unit (RSLU).
• The RCU has similar controls to the existing Control Unit (CU), and it can store the results of the total number of votes per candidate and constituency.
• The RBU features an electronic dynamic display (BUOD) that can dynamically display the list of candidates based on the constituency number read by the constituency card reader.
• The RVVPAT has similar functionality to the existing M3 VVPAT, and it can store symbols of different AC/PCs with candidate images.
• The CCR is a barcode reader that reads the constituency number of a particular voter and is connected to the PDCU unit. The PDCU acts as an interface between the CCR, public display, and RBU, enabling the list of candidates of the particular constituency to be displayed on the public display and RBU simultaneously.
• Finally, the RSLU is used to capture symbols of remote AC/PCs candidates from laptops under the control of the Home RO and load them into the RVVPAT under the control of the Remote RO.

Concerns Raised

• Opposition parties and experts have raised concerns about the Election Commission's proposal to introduce a remote voting facility, stating that the concept is not clear and implementing it would lead to unfair elections.
• One of the main concerns of the opposition is that smaller regional parties will be at a disadvantage since they may not have enough resources to deploy polling agents in remote polling stations in other parts of the country.
• There are also concerns about using a modified version of electronic voting machines, which have been previously accused of being manipulated. Other issues include defining domestic migrants, enumerating remote voters, ensuring voting secrecy, allowing for polling agents to identify voters, and determining the process and method of remote voting and vote counting. 
• To introduce remote voting, amendments to The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951, The Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be required. The number of booths and their locations would also need to be determined, and issues related to voters' familiarity with remote voting technology, the counting of votes at remote booths, and the transmission of votes to the returning officer located in other states would require further deliberation. 
• Although only Parliament can amend the laws, the Law Ministry can adjust the relevant rules in this case.

Challenges galore

• There are many challenges that need to be addressed with the introduction of remote voting, according to the Election Commission of India.
• These include legal issues such as determining what "remote" means and who qualifies as a "domestic migrant," as well as technical issues like ensuring voters are familiar with the process and technology. 
• It is also unclear how many remote polling stations will be needed and how the model code of conduct will be enforced.

Final Thought

• Despite these challenges, the Commission believes that "migration-based disenfranchisement" is not an acceptable option in today's technological era.
• Therefore, they have asked registered political parties for suggestions on how to overcome these challenges. They recognize that perceptions of fairness are just as important as actual fairness in a democratic process. 
• Allowing millions of migrant workers to vote remotely could potentially improve India's democracy by making it more inclusive and participatory.