The Election Commission of India is collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology to develop a blockchain system for voting, the Chief Election Commissioner has reportedly revealed. The new system aims to allow Indians to vote even when they are away from their hometowns. Furthermore, the commissioner has proposed to link voter IDs with Aadhaar.
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Using Blockchain System for Voting in India
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at the Times Now Summit on Wednesday that the Election Commission (EC) was close to solving one of the biggest voting problems in the country, the Times of India reported. Many people do not vote because they are unable to get to their polling booth on voting day. According to reports, about 900 million people were eligible to vote in the 2019 elections but a third of them, or about 300 million people, did not vote largely due to this reason. The commissioner elaborated:
The EC is working with the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, to develop a blockchain system that will allow voters registered in any part of the country to exercise their franchise even after they move cities.
According to the publication, over 450 million people in India have moved from their hometowns for reasons such as jobs, education, or marriage. During the opening session of the summit, Arora said he was hopeful that the blockchain system would be put in place during his tenure, adding:
A proposal to link voter IDs with Aadhaar, pending with the Ministry of Law, would be on the agenda during the EC’s February 18 deliberations on electoral reforms with the ministry.
