Why is News :
- Bihar becomes the first Indian state to implement mobile-based e-voting through Android apps for municipal and urban body elections, marking a paradigm shift in electoral processes.
Key Features of the Initiative
App-Based Voting: Two apps will facilitate e-voting:
- “e-Voting SECBHR” by C-DAC.
- Companion app by Bihar State Election Commission.
- Target Election: Municipal and urban body polls on 28th June 2025
- Voter Participation:
- 10,000 already registered.
- 50,000 voters to be allowed in the first phase.
Technological Innovations
Security Measures:
- Blockchain integration for tamper-proof records.
- Face scan and face match technologies.
- Liveness detection to prevent spoofing.
- Audit trail similar to VVPAT for post-vote verification.
Other Digital Innovations by Bihar SEC:
- Face Recognition System (FRS) for voter verification.
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in vote counting.
- Digital locks for EVM strong rooms.
Significance
Democratic Inclusion:
- Enables migrant workers, divyangs, pregnant women, elderly, and ill voters to participate
- Enhances universal adult suffrage by reducing physical voting barriers.
Increased Voter Turnout:
- Addresses the issue of low participation, especially in urban areas.
Technological Leap:
- First state in India to use blockchain-based mobile e-voting.
- Second globally after Estonia, setting a benchmark for global electoral practices.
Cost and Logistical Efficiency:
- Potentially reduces the burden of physical infrastructure, human resources, and security.
Challenges Ahead
- Digital Divide: Exclusion of non-smartphone users or digitally illiterate.
- Cybersecurity: Despite advanced encryption, hacking or impersonation risks remain
- Legal & Institutional Readiness:
- Needs clarity under Representation of People Act for wider adoption.
- Acceptance of audit trail and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Value Addition
Quote: “Technology should be an enabler of democracy, not a gatekeeper” – Anonymous.
Example: Estonia’s e-voting system (introduced in 2005) has a voter turnout of over 40% via internet voting.
Case Study Use: Bihar’s SEC as a case of innovation-led governance and local electoral reform.
| UPSC Relevance GS2Electoral Reforms, Governance, Role of State Election Commissions GS3E-Governance, Cybersecurity, Use of Technology in Public Services GS4Ethics of Inclusion, Transparency, and Accountability in Elections Possible Mains Question : Q. “Bihar becomes the first Indian state to implement mobile-based e-voting through Android apps for municipal and urban body elections, marking a paradigm shift in electoral processes.” Critically analyse. |