Perspective : Remote Voting | 17 January, 2023

Summary

The discussion revolves around the concept of remote voting in India, a significant initiative in response to low voter turnout, particularly among internal migrants. The Election Commission of India has proposed a remote electronic voting machine (RVM) prototype to facilitate voting for migrants. Despite initial reservations from opposition parties, experts on the panel advocate for a comprehensive approach to electoral reforms, emphasizing the need for a single voter list, privacy for the electoral ID, and improving the quality of representatives. The conversation underscores the importance of making elections more inclusive and the challenges of implementing new technologies and processes.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ India is considering the introduction of a Remote Voting Machine (RVM) to address the issue of low voter turnout, particularly among migrant voters.
• 📊 Approximately one-third of eligible voters, translating to about 30 crore individuals, do not participate in elections, which is a significant concern for the Election Commission of India.
• 🔄 The inability to vote due to internal migration is a prominent reason for low voter turnout, and the RVM aims to enable these voters to cast their votes from remote locations.
• 🤝 The Election Commission has sought the views of recognized political parties on the RVM, including necessary legislative and administrative changes and the voting method.
• 👥 A panel of experts, including a former director of the Election Commission of India, a political analyst, and a senior journalist, discussed the concept and implementation of remote voting.
• 🏢 The issue of defining who qualifies as a domestic migrant is complex and requires consensus among sociologists and other experts to address.
• 📉 Urban apathy, not just migration, contributes to low voter turnout, indicating a need for broader voter education and awareness campaigns.
• 🔑 The RVM could potentially benefit various segments of the population, including the elderly and those unable to physically reach polling stations.
• 🛡️ Security and privacy concerns are raised with the introduction of new technology, with questions about the safety and hack-proof nature of the RVM.
• 📝 The implementation of remote voting will require extensive logistical planning, including the establishment of remote polling stations and special equipment.
• 🔍 The broader issue of electoral reform in India includes not only the facilitation of remote voting but also the improvement of the quality of representatives and the overall voting experience.

Q & A

What is the significance of remote voting in India's democratic process?

Remote voting is significant in India as it addresses the issue of voter participation, especially for migrants who cannot physically reach their polling stations due to various reasons such as internal migration for work or education.

What is the current state of voter participation in India?

Despite an increase in voter registration, there is a stagnation in voter participation, with approximately one-third of eligible voters not participating in elections, translating to about 30 crore (300 million) people.

What is the Election Commission of India's (ECI) proposed solution to the issue of voter participation?

The ECI has showcased a prototype for a remote electronic voting machine (RVM) that would enable migrant voters to vote from remote polling stations.

What are the concerns raised by the opposition parties regarding the RVM?

Opposition parties have expressed concerns about the RVM proposal, terming it as very sketchy due to issues such as lack of clarity on the definition and number of domestic migrants.

What is the role of technology in facilitating remote voting?

Technology plays a crucial role in enabling remote voting by allowing the development of secure and reliable systems such as the RVM, which can be used by migrants to vote without physically being present at their registered constituency.

What are the administrative, legal, and operational issues that need to be sorted out according to the ECI?

The ECI has mentioned that issues such as defining the criteria for domestic migrants, ensuring the security and integrity of the remote voting process, and making necessary legislative and administrative changes are among the challenges that need to be addressed.

How does the concept of remote voting relate to the urban apathy observed in voter turnout?

Remote voting could potentially address urban apathy by making it easier for urban residents, who may be more transient or have less access to polling stations, to participate in elections.

What are the potential benefits of remote voting for other segments of voters besides domestic migrants?

Remote voting could benefit elderly people, those with disabilities, and individuals who are unable to physically reach polling stations due to work or other commitments, thus increasing overall voter participation.

What is the importance of consensus among political parties regarding the implementation of remote voting?

Consensus among political parties is crucial for the successful implementation of remote voting as it ensures that the new system is accepted as fair and unbiased, and that it does not favor any particular party.

What are some of the broader electoral reforms that are being discussed along with remote voting?

Broader electoral reforms include improving the quality of representatives, addressing the issue of urban apathy, ensuring privacy for voters, and potentially consolidating the electoral rolls into a single list for all types of elections.

How does the introduction of remote voting impact the role of state administration in elections?

The introduction of remote voting could increase the involvement of state administrations in managing elections, as they would need to oversee the logistics of remote voting and ensure compliance with election laws and regulations.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ Remote Voting for Migrant Voters in India

The script discusses the concept of remote voting in India, the world's largest democracy, where voter participation has been stagnant with about one-third of eligible voters not participating. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a prototype of a multi-constituency remote electronic voting machine (RVM) to enable migrant voters to vote from remote polling stations. The ECI has sought feedback from political parties on this technology and related legislative and administrative changes. The segment features a panel of experts including Mr. Akshay Rawat, former director of the ECI, to explore the issue of remote voting, its necessity, and the challenges of engaging migrant voters in the electoral process.

05:01

🌐 Addressing the Urban Apathy in Voter Turnout

This paragraph delves into the reasons behind the urban voter apathy and the challenges faced by the Election Commission in facilitating voting for domestic migrants. It highlights the ECI's efforts to pilot a remote voting system and the initial reservations expressed by political parties. The discussion also touches on the definition of a domestic migrant, the sheer volume of internal migration in India, and the need for a registration process to include these migrants in the democratic process. The panelists emphasize the importance of making elections inclusive and ensuring the fundamental right of migrants to vote.

10:01

🔒 Ensuring Security and Trust in Remote Voting Technology

The conversation in this paragraph revolves around the security concerns and the need for consensus among political parties regarding the introduction of new voting technology. It discusses the ECI's indigenous development of a trusted direct voting machine (DVM) and the resistance to change due to fears about safety and hack-proofing. The panelists consider the potential impact of remote voting on various demographics, including the elderly and those in difficult-to-reach locations, and the need for a pilot program before a national rollout.

15:02

📈 The Long Road to Electoral Reforms and Inclusive Participation

This paragraph outlines the broader context of electoral reforms in India, focusing on the challenges of implementing remote voting for migrants and the urban population. It discusses the need for a long-term approach to settle issues such as the definition of migrants, the volume of migration, and the administrative and legal changes required. The panelists stress the importance of trust between election managers and stakeholders and the need to view the issue from the perspective of the voter, not just political parties.

20:03

🤔 The Quality of Elections and the Importance of Voter Privacy

The discussion in this paragraph emphasizes the need for electoral reforms that go beyond facilitating remote voting. It raises concerns about voter privacy and the challenges of having multiple electoral rolls, suggesting a move towards a single, unified voter list. The panelists also address the need to improve the quality of elected representatives and the importance of ensuring that the election process is not only about increasing voter turnout but also about the quality of the election itself.

25:06

🛣️ The Path Forward for Remote Voting in India

In the final paragraph, the panelists reflect on the complexities and potential of remote voting in India. They acknowledge the initial steps taken by the ECI and the need for further dialogue and consensus building among political parties. The discussion points to the logistical challenges, the importance of voter education, and the broader implications of introducing remote voting for different segments of the population. The panel concludes by emphasizing the significance of this development in the context of ongoing electoral reforms.

Keywords

💡Remote voting

Remote voting refers to the process that allows voters to cast their votes from locations other than traditional polling stations. In the context of the video, it is a proposed solution to address the low voter turnout, particularly among domestic migrants who cannot easily travel back to their home constituencies to vote. The script mentions the Election Commission of India showcasing a prototype of a remote electronic voting machine (RVM) to facilitate this.

💡Universal adult suffrage

Universal adult suffrage is the right of every adult citizen to vote in a country's elections, regardless of property, gender, race, or religion. The video script highlights that India's constitution provides this right, but the challenge lies in ensuring that all eligible voters, including those who have migrated internally, are able to exercise this right.

💡Voter registration

Voter registration is the process of enrolling eligible citizens into the official list of voters. The script indicates a significant increase in voter registration over the years, yet notes a stagnation in voter participation, suggesting a disconnect between registration and actual voting behavior.

💡Voter participation

Voter participation refers to the act of eligible voters taking part in an election by casting their votes. The video discusses the concern of stagnating voter participation rates, with approximately one-third of voters not voting, which equates to a large number of eligible voters not participating in the election process.

💡Internal migration

Internal migration is the movement of people within a country from one region to another. The script identifies internal migration as a prominent reason for the inability to vote, as migrants may not be able to travel back to their registered voting location.

💡Election Commission of India

The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering elections in India. The script mentions the commission's initiative to develop a remote electronic voting machine prototype and its request for feedback from political parties on various related issues.

💡Political anomalies

Political anomalies refer to irregularities or unexpected issues that can arise in the political process. The script refers to opposition parties' concerns about the remote voting proposal, citing a lack of clarity and potential political anomalies as reasons for their opposition.

💡Domestic migrants

Domestic migrants are individuals who move within their own country for various reasons such as work, education, or family. The video discusses the challenges faced by this group in participating in the electoral process due to their displacement from their home constituencies.

💡Voter education

Voter education involves informing and educating voters about the election process, their rights, and the importance of voting. The script suggests that voter education and awareness campaigns are necessary to address urban apathy and to encourage more people to participate in elections.

💡Urban apathy

Urban apathy refers to the lack of interest or disengagement from voting among urban residents. The script notes that voter turnout in urban areas is disappointing compared to rural areas, indicating a need for interventions to increase participation among urban voters.

💡Electoral reforms

Electoral reforms are changes made to the electoral system to improve its fairness, effectiveness, and inclusivity. The video discusses the need for a holistic approach to electoral reforms, including the introduction of remote voting, to address various issues affecting voter participation and the quality of representation.

Highlights

India's Election Commission has showcased a prototype of a remote electronic voting machine (RVM) for migrant voters.

The RVM aims to enable migrant voters to vote from remote polling stations.

Approximately one-third of eligible voters in India do not participate in elections, with internal migration cited as a significant barrier.

The Election Commission has sought feedback from political parties on the RVM and related legislative and administrative changes.

Opposition parties have expressed concerns about the RVM proposal, citing issues such as the lack of clarity on the definition and number of domestic migrants.

Experts discuss the importance of making elections inclusive for domestic migrants and addressing voter apathy in urban areas.

The need for a systematic effort to facilitate remote voting for those unable to travel back home for elections is emphasized.

The challenge of defining who qualifies as a domestic migrant and the large volume of potential voters involved.

Suggestions for online registration portals for migrants to register their intent to vote remotely.

Discussion on the potential for the RVM to assist not only migrants but also the elderly and those unable to physically reach polling booths.

Concerns about the security and integrity of the RVM, including resistance from political parties and the public.

The necessity for legislative and administrative changes to accommodate the implementation of the RVM.

The potential impact of remote voting on urban voter apathy and the need for broader interventions to increase voter participation.

The importance of maintaining the privacy of the voter's identity and the challenges with the current electoral roll system.

Calls for a single, unified voter list for all elections in India to simplify the voting process.

Concerns about the quality of representatives elected and the need for electoral reforms to address this issue.

The potential for remote voting to involve state administrations in the election process of other states, adding complexity.

The need for a holistic approach to electoral reforms, considering the broader implications beyond the RVM.

The call for more dialogue and consensus-building among political parties and stakeholders regarding the RVM and electoral reforms.

Transcripts

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National and international issues today

we're going to talk about the concept of

remote voting now India is the world's

largest democracy and the constitution

of India provides Universal adult

suffrage to its citizens irrespective of

race religion gender and economic status

there has been a significant increase in

voter registration over the past few

years however the stagnation of voter

participation is a cause of concern as

per the available data approximately

one-third of the voters do not vote this

translates to a high figure of about 30

crore eligible voters not participating

in the election process according to

Election Commission of India the

inability to vote due to internal

migration is one of the prominent

reasons behind logo to turn out the

election commission on Monday showcased

the remote electronic voting machine

prototype for migrant voters to

representatives of political parties

this multi-constituency remote electric

electronic voting machine rvm would

enable migrant voters to vote from

remote polling stations as well ECI has

also

solicited written views of recognized

political parties by 31st of January on

various related issues including changes

required in legislation administrative

procedures and voting method rvm or

technology for domestic migrants

meanwhile 15 opposition parties have

said that they will oppose the election

commission's a multi-constituency remote

electronic voting machine for domestic

migrants uh terming the proposal as very

sketchy with the huge political

anomalies and problems such as no

Clarity on definition and number of

domestic migrants so today we'll try and

understand this overall issue of remote

voting the concept of remote mooting and

why it is required and how can we bring

you know those migrant voters to the

polling station as well and for more on

this we joined by a distinguished panel

of experts let me first introduce them

to you beginning with Mr Akshay rawat is

joining us this is a former director

General Election Commission of India we

also with us Dr AK Verma political

analyst and sheikharaya a senior

journalist is also joining us welcome

all of you gentlemen to the show I'll

begin with you Mr rauth and let me first

start by asking you and trying to

understand how serious is this problem

in terms of you know a significant

number of Voters not turning up for vote

because the voter turnout if we look at

the data is stagnant somewhere around 67

68 in most of the elections be it

assembly elections or Lok Sabha

elections as well over the past few

years

you have just mentioned the problem in

nutshell in your initial words you said

that the universal adult franchise was

given to the Indian citizens by the

Constitutional fathers there was an

intention that there will be a

representation in governance of the

citizens themselves all the qualified

citizens He also mentioned in the same

goal that a third of the electors don't

vote so there is a problem

and this problem is attempted to address

among other things with the remote

voting facility

uh but let me take you just one or two

steps back

you know the the whole issue of election

is voter Centric and fortunately the

elections are the management looks at it

from a more voter's perspective of late

because

if the voter is facilitated then only to

that extent elections and democracy get

stronger

and one of the major reasons is that the

ordinary resident gets registered but

well because of existential reasons he

or she moves out whether for Education

nor for marriage or for jobs then

suddenly he or she finds himself or

herself stranded stranded between the

place where he has his emotional Family

Social connection and the other place

where he is just stationed temporarily

okay so the election commission has this

Noble intention in fact this is nothing

new I must mention this work has been

going on for long I am a little

surprised with the development visology

because from the time I have been to

some extent associated with the election

process all around if you go Civil

Society citizens the youth the people

who stay in Hostel there is one question

we are at Technology power we are an I.T

power with so much why we are not able

to vote from a remote location okay why

you will lose our Fun Size because I

can't travel back to home we have been

facing glaring and big big questions so

at least for the first time there has

been an honest diligent and systematic

effort to bring something to be piloted

okay and I am a little surprised and and

perhaps my understanding of the case is

not the same as yours

that is not complete opposition in fact

the political parties are mentioned

partly it was anticipated that let there

be an agreement whether we should have

the remote voting machine at all then

we'll go to what are the details of

technology so there is a preparedness to

talk there is a preparedness to

understand but perhaps they have

expressed their initial reservations on

the matter and in any case Election

Commission already mentioned in its

initial concept note that there are

administrative legal and operational

issues to be sorted out technology is

just one part and it is quite possible

which they wanted to demonstrate but

they have mentioned that the other

things are more important and they have

to sort it out so I am finding it I am

finding it as a good start of a dialogue

for a good cause to make elections

inclusive and to make it possible for

those who are domestic migrants under

the compulsions of Life indeed indeed

those who are missing out on the

opportunity to you know to their most

important fundamental right that is to

exercise a franchise that should be

taken care of the intentions are pretty

much clear and Noble as well but there

are various aspects as you mentioned uh

Mr rauth and let me bring in uh both uh

you know Mr ir and

Dr Varma as well on those issues Dr

Verma one of the major issue which needs

to be settled is is who is a who is a

domestic migrant how do you classify

that that's one and what's the number

well Vishal I mean this is a question

which the election commission is seized

and it is already in consultation with

several stakeholders the how to define

the migrant workers and how to get to

the numbers so it's there is no really

made answer how to define migraine

Cleaver because migration itself is you

know a very very uh you know hazy word

and you cannot say who is the migrant

who is not a migrant because you see the

migration can be just from the

constituency the migration can be from

the district the migration can be from

the state and even the migration can be

International so you have to first of

all understand which kind of a migration

do you want to address that is point

number one the second is that as we have

already showed that in the 2021 census

around 46 yeah or 37 crore you know

migrate migrants 46 crore migrants have

been shown which means around 37 percent

of the entire population that is a

census data so it's a huge huge number

and you know there can be so many

reasons but the question is not very

difficult to Define because migration is

you can make a process of registration

those those who want to leave their

constituency those who want to leave

their District those who want to leave

their state their state there can be

some portal for online registration that

I am registered in this constituency and

I am moving to that because it can be

family matter it can be maybe a a job

thing or insert of some work people be

go out and once they go out they are

they are they're busy in you know

settling them down in that particular

new local and they're not so much

bothered about getting registered or

getting their epic made again okay so

these are issues which are not as

difficult as we think that it is very

different it's a very simple thing you

have a technology to support and the

definition can be addressed uh you know

in consultation with several

sociologists or other people who are

expert in defining what a migration is

so I I think that this issue can be

addressed but the question is that the

the the volume of migration and the

number of migrants is so much that we

certainly need to address uh how they

are to be roped in to make the

Democratic process more inclusive okay

okay indeed that is a very significant

number they are approximately 30 crore

which we're talking about Mr I'd like to

bring in here you covered uh you know a

number of Elections at that State level

at National level as well now this

number which we're talking about roughly

30 crore or one hour you know one out of

every three or four voters is it all

domestic migrant because you know we've

seen despite the best efforts of

Election Commission of India you know

water apathy specifically in in urban

areas you know there are a significant

number of Voters who don't turn up to

vote so it's not entirely uh you know

this number doesn't entirely consist of

domestic migrants there is a significant

section of population which will have to

be sensitized more you know more made

aware of their right that they should

come out and cast their vote that part

is also needs a bit more push do you

agree no definitely you see the election

commission has been looking at this

aspect so they have been always looking

at what is called the urban apathy

particularly we have seen that in voting

in urban areas has been quite

disappointing compared to even rural

areas so that Election Commission has

been talking of voter education voter

awareness campaign and involving

different sections such as societies

ngos you know that is a different thing

but this particular thing is about use

of a new technology which has been

indigenously developed they have been

they have used a very trusted DVM

machine and which is not networked

because often this fear you know earlier

there see what is happening is whenever

a new thing is brought you know any new

uh idea comes there is bound to be what

is called the law of entropy you know

there is a resistance questions are

asked whether it is safe whether it is

hack proof so we have had problems with

eBay even yesterday I mean even that

last PT we heard reciprocution part is

saying look when we are not sure about

evm you are bringing something else new

see the sphere is there see political

parties definitely you need the

consensus of the political parties but

political parties always start to look

at you know how does this change the

game because their fear is always

whether a new thing whether a new

technology will affect them see I mean

definitely from Ballot Box to evm has

affected a number of parties which

believed in different methods of

ensuring voters rather the votes are

cast so let us not go into that we have

come far away from those days when you

know boot capturing elections being

suspended you know people running away

with ballot boxes from that to this day

which is where it is temper proof even

has been shown to be one of the most

Innovative thing that has happened to a

democracy and today we are able to tell

the world you know lot of countries have

imaged interest Election Commission has

been you know you know sharing this

knowledge with countries which are

interested in this it's a big thing

that's happening but it's a time also

for political parties you know this is

an opportunity for them to you know to

examine it not purely from their

political view you know in terms of what

is the percentage of Migrant rewards

vote for us see even yesterday that one

concert I mean one idea that came when

these opportunity leaders were talking

see if more than 87 percent of this bike

they should within States so their idea

is why not try it out in the states I

mean why don't you try it out there then

you talk of a national level see

definitely that is going to happen in

2024 you know for the 2024 elections

okay if at all if anything has to be

done it you did as was mentioned here

that you need legislative uh thing as

well as administrative and along with

that it has to be on a pilot scale first

if the bishid that has now been

conceived the technology that that

machine get register vote for at least

72 constituencies I mean this is a very

unique thing I mean this is a very

unique idea and it will not only migrate

labels it will also helping in you know

people elderly people engaged people

sick people you know they don't have to

go to the booths the you know during the

Gujarat election we saw the prime

minister's mother who recently passed

away at the age of 99 you know being

carried to the polling Booth by way of

sending a message that everybody should

come to vote we have seen several

elderly people being taken by their

families perhaps this machine could be

made available to you know in those

areas where the elderly people it can

actually they can vote from home this

possibility can also be there I mean

there are several possibilities and to

enter the tough and to the tough

terrains as well where the election

commission officials have to make a lot

of effort

so even then the somebody has to carry

these machines to those places that will

be there but the what will happen is

everybody who is there particularly if

you are talking of northeast or some of

our hilly States where people you know

construction workers are there Engineers

are working in various projects see the

whole problem is you know when I have a

voting card in my debut place when I

move to a place of work I don't want to

cancel that or get the engagement that

process and transmit it here because my

voting card sometimes along with other

card and other thing he also establishes

by local identity my fear is when my

property is there if I cancel my

election card there but you know these

are part of my documentation of my uh

you know proof of my uh being belonging

to that place the people don't want to

cancel their old voter card so there are

a lot of duplication this is also a

problem which Election Commission has

been talking about you know people

Indian but when when we are talking of

one nation you know one uh card and one

nation where people can go anywhere and

do everything like see you may have a

bank account in one place but your ATM

works everywhere you can deposit your

check at any branch all over the country

so when these things are happening this

is also a new idea indeed perhaps I

think more persuasion will be needed

more dirt as as was mentioned more

dialogue is needed but a new technology

should not be rejected you know straight

away and it's a fear that this may

benefit a particular party indeed indeed

this is a this is a noble uh you know

cause and of course the technology is in

place uh dialogue needs to happen

Solutions need to be found to the

questions which are raised and some of

them which we're discussing here Mr

rauta you know the election commission

has also sought views of the political

parties on legislative and

administrative changes if at all any

required in technology as well as the

demonstration has been made so uh apart

from technology when we talk about

legislative or administrative changes

what kind of changes might be required

because this will bring in uh bring in a

lot of new things new ways to look at

how the entire uh you know a part of the

voting process takes place specifically

those who are migrants

is going to be a long haul it's not

going to be easy you see the whole event

business got settled after many decades

the vivipat also took its time to get

settled so we must be prepared for a

long haul and the whole election

management

between the managers and the

stakeholders is based on trust everyone

must come to accept and everyone must

get convinced that this is a healthy

equipment which is honest and which will

deliver the goods

so now you will have to have remote

polling stations you will have to have

the special equipment you will have to

have an atmosphere in which the model

code can be also be enforced and you can

you will also have the transferability

of the boards which have been obtained

to the respective Ro

so and

a lot of other things besides the of

course the amendment of the laws and

acts like rpr and the conduct of

Elections art and the rules those are

very much necessary but those will

happen only once the political parties

come to an agreement that it's something

it is important to start and here a note

of caution or a note of advice to

ourselves is that this is one thing

which has to be seen from the lens of

the helpless and helpless voter who has

to add Mr IR was mentioning has to move

out under compulsion as Mr Burma was

also saying the urban migration is a

reality so we have to look for their

benefit not through a political lens

that's one and then secondly we as it

progresses

once the consultation begins there will

be lot of things which will

automatically emerge which needs to be

sorted out and I look at the whole thing

within the overall envelope of reforms

if you have seen there is a lot of

reforms which are taking place of late

and a lot of them relating to voters

participation on voters integration and

the election commission and the whole

country has become aspirational just

before sometime you said 67 66 percent

those are more recent earlier it was 50

55 indeed it is that is why the country

is getting more aspirational to have

sort of 75 turnout in the 75 year of

Independence just imagine the

Revolutionary Amendment which was done

last year to have four registration

dates for introduction into the

Electoral role that itself is enabling

people to register the young persons to

register and when the time comes to vote

so and then we have even the 17 plus

people to be lined up to be included

when that time comes just now it was

mentioned that the 80 plus people or

people with disability their votes are

being collected from homes so there is a

quite a bit of reforms in terms of

participation let's not forget that the

national voters day the 25th of January

it's just a week away

and that is a reinforcement of the

central character in the whole Indian

polity who is the citizen turned voter

and this particular remote voting thing

is being taken forward only to

facilitate his life and just to correct

one figure these 300 million people who

don't vote they are all domestic

migrants indeed that is what I was

pointing out here wow yes yes they are

not only part of that and as you very

rightly said Vishal some time back and

also Mr Ayer endorsed it we have a big

issue of urban apathy the migrant

solution is not the overall solution of

participation we have Urban Youth apathy

look at Mumbai look at Delhi look at

Bangalore look at Gujarat elections

recently in which most of the

cities and towns disappointed in terms

of turnout so we have a lot of

interventions which are going beyond the

migrant issue which have to happen so

that we have a fulfilled and universally

participated election which India so

recently deserves okay okay indeed there

are various uh aspects here which need

to be taken care of Dr Parma in in your

views you know that dialogue process

which we are talking about and you know

taking it forward in terms of the

changes which have to be made ah

obviously the changes will have to be

made based on what is required and the

target here is a domestic migrant uh you

know voters those who are domestic

migrants so what needs to be done and

how can it be achieved with the process

entire process which we are talking

about

Vishal as Mr route was very correctly

mentioning that there are two three

things which are very very important in

this entire issue and one is that we

have to look at this problem

holistically

that means we have to look not only the

inclusive aspect of the you know these

migrant quarters but we have to look at

the entire process of electoral reforms

and one very important thing that

excludes many genbine voters is that the

election commission is not able to give

privacy to the Epic over the Electoral

roads and if if you have an epic which

is issued by Direction commission and if

your name is stuck after from the list

that is prepared by the local Clerk and

all other people then you are stranded

and you can't vote and this is a very

important contradiction you know that

has to be resolved whether you have to

give privacy to the Epic or we have to

be Primacy to the voters list which is

prepared by a computer flaw or which is

names are deleted and people say that oh

there was a computer problem and this

and that so this has to be settled that

will take care of so many inclusions

okay Point number one number two is that

why should we have quora voters list I

am a citizen of India and I need to have

just one voters list whether it be the

election of parliament I have one Epic

and that should be you know sufficient

for voting in Parliament assembly a

local election wherever because I vote

every citizens of India why should I buy

multiple electoral roads and that that

that that that is a very great problem

you know when you have the voters voting

for mlcs in the state elections then you

do not know where to go what to do and

when these good voters are prepared and

there are so many other methods being

applied for enrolling voters why can't

we have just one single voters list

which has also assisted by the committee

which was formed by the uh by the

election commission okay and one very

important thing that I have to share on

this platform is that Election

Commission is always worried about you

know the the rise in the voters turnout

foreign

the quantitative aspect is very good we

are always boasting of India being a

biggest democracy but that's not very

big deal the big deal is about what kind

of Representative that we are electing

will the election commission

simultaneously also do something to

improve the quality of the voters and

the quality of the representatives they

have lot of meetings with the political

parties and but they are not able to

control the quality of Representatives

so the menu that you are serving to the

voters that is also a very very

detrimental factor for the people to

come out and vote many people could say

I don't want to vote this in spite of

the Nota but the Nota that you have made

is absolutely above this exercise people

know that Nota is not going to make any

difference uh to your you know elected

candidate so the Nota has to be made

relevant the Epic has to be given

Primacy over the voters list okay

quality of the representatives they have

to be you know better and something has

to be done not only for the rise in the

number about voters but also the quality

of Electro elections quality of elected

representative that has to be you know

raised the criminalization part the role

of money can you think that an ordinary

person today will get elected in the

Indian elections to Parliament and

assembles okay so these These are so

many things that have to be holistically

attended and focusing only on the AVM

and the rvm would probably always be you

know uh you know apprehensive uh

political parties will also always be

apprehensive okay one final one final

thing that I want to mention on this uh

Bindu is that you know once you

introduce the remote voting then State B

comes into the picture of the elections

in state a suppose I am a up worker and

I am migrating to the West Bengal or I

am migrated to Maharashtra and there you

are putting up so all the elections are

managed by the local Administration do

you think that these states will come to

be a player in the

there are intricacies involved and those

are the issues of you know discussion

and debate and trying to find a common

ground or find the way ahead as well but

the points you mentioned Dr Verma are

also part of the larger you know

election reforms which we've been

talking about for quite some time Mr uh

we're running short of time but quick uh

final comments from you in terms of the

path ahead for this much you know talked

about and discussed process of remote

voting and of course majorly it will

cater to domestic migrants but it will

cater to other segments of of the voters

as well who are unable to cast their

votes

yeah definitely Vishal this is this is a

idea whose type is cup but there are

other aspects as Dr Verma was saying

there are other issues and also

administrative issues you know what

happens uh how how do you get registered

because the process that was explained

uh to the opposition parties was you

know that the water has to you know

first apply to that where he is

registered as a voter to say that he

wants to do remote voting then on that

has to be done much before the elections

are held then after that arrangements

are made and that the remote thing

happens so there is there is a lot of

logistics involved okay there is a lot

of voter education because this also

requires a freshwater education it's a

big challenge but one must complement

the election commission for attempting

it to making the beginning just as they

had made a beginning with EVMS and then

with BB Pat you know maybe Pat was also

a greater Improvement on a AVM so

similarly I feel this is definitely a

very big thing that's happening and in

times to come okay

think that more issues will come and

they hopefully will get resolved okay

okay indeed thank you so much Mr

Professor Verma and Mr Routh as well for

sharing your views and insight with us

and our viewers here as our experts for

pointing out uh the concept of remote

voting is an idea whose time has come

but there are various intricacies

involved various aspects which will need

to be discussed further and and

consensus arrived on those issues in

terms of legislative mechanism

administrative mechanism and defining

who the domestic workers are as well and

their number also we'll keep a close

watch on all the developments on this

aspect and keep on bringing you the

latest updates ah come back again with a

different topic till then keep watching

Sunset television thank you foreign

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