EC develops remote voting machine aimed at migrant workers

New Delhi: In a move to pave way for the migrant workers within the country to cast their votes during the elections, the Election Commission of India has developed a remote voting machine and all political parties are invited for the demonstration of the new machine.

With the machine coming into use, migrant workers can vote remotely in their home constituency and avoid the hassles of travel during the elections, according to the Commission.

The concept note by the Commission lists several legal and technical actions that need to be taken before implementing the idea.

The Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM), can be programmed to accept votes for up to 72 constituencies, which can switch according to the locality of the person voting.

"Voter turnout in General Elections 2019 was 67.4% and the Election Commission of India is concerned about the issue of over 30 crore electors not exercising their franchise," the Commission said in a press note.

"It is understood that there are multifarious reasons for a voter not opting to register in a new place of residence, thus missing out on exercising the right to vote. Inability to vote due to internal migration (domestic migrants) is one of the prominent reasons."

One of the limitation cited by the poll body for implanting is that there no central data base available for migration within the country.

The factors affecting the migration within India according to EC is work, marriage and education drive, arrived at by the "analysis of available data in public domain".

"Out-migration is predominant among the rural population in overall domestic migration. Approximately 85% of the internal migration is within the states," it added.

"After focus on youth and urban apathy, remote voting will be a transformational initiative for strengthening participation in electoral democracy," said Rajiv Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner.