EC joins hands with IIT-M to develop this new technology.
Investopedia defines blockchain as digital information (block) stored in a public database (the chain). In other words, blocks on the blockchain are made up of digital pieces of information. This technology shall be leveraged by EC (Election Commission) to allow voters to caste vote from far away cities. The Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena however cleared that the presence of technology doesn’t imply voting from home. He made clear that the voters will have to reach a designated venue during a pre-decided period of time to be able to use this facility.
He further explained the technology saying that “this is a concept of a two-way electronic voting system which will be performed in a controlled environment, on white-listed IP devices on dedicated internet lines. Additionally, the system will be enabled with biometric devices and a web-camera.”
Technicalities Involved
- The two-way blockchain remote voting process would involve voter identification and authorization using a multi-layered IT-enabled system working on the ERO Net (EC’s e-governance Electoral Registration Officer Network)
- After the voter’s identity is established, a blockchain-enabled personalized e-ballot paper will be generated.
- When the vote is cast, the ballot will be securely encrypted and a blockchain hashtag (#) will be generated.
- The hashtag notification would be sent to various stakeholders, for instance to the candidates and to the political parties.
- The encrypted remote votes would once again be validated at the pre-counting stage to ensure the correctness.
Understand Electronic Voting
Some Countries that have practised Electronic Voting
- Australia
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Canada
Recent electronic voting in Sierra Leone
The world’s first #blockchain powered elections just happened in Sierra Leone !#DigitalTransformation is taking the world by storm.#Africa #SieraLeone #Skipchain pic.twitter.com/oRSI4osNti
— Hakim Lhamri (@HakimLhamri) March 14, 2018
