In a move to bring more transparency in the electoral system, a department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has supported the Election Commission’s move to link voters’ Aadhaar numbers with the electoral roll to clean up data of duplicate entries. 

The EC has also informed the committee that it is also exploring the possibility of using block chain technology which would enhance the credibility of the electoral system in the country.

The committee, headed by Bhupendra Yadav, recommended that the Government may undertake appropriate actions for the purpose of linking unique Aadhaar Card number with Voter ID Card to purify the electoral roll which is in larger interest of democratic polity.

In August last year, the commission had asked the Government to give it statutory backing to collect Aadhaar numbers of new applicants and existing voters to check multiple entries in electoral rolls.

The EC had proposed that provisions of the Representation of the People Act be amended to allow the Election Commission (EC) to seek Aadhaar numbers of those applying to be voters and also those who are already part of voters’ list. 

On the block chain technology, an EC official said that the concept is a “two-way electronic voting system, in a controlled environment, on white-listed IP devices on dedicated internet lines, enabled with biometric devices and a web camera”. 

He, however, made it clear that voters will have to reach a designated venue during a pre-decided period of time to be able to use this facility. After a voter’s identity is established by the system, a block chain enabled personalised e-ballot paper will be generated.  When the vote is cast , the ballot would be securely encrypted and a block chain hashtag (#) will be generated. This hashtag notification would be sent to various stakeholders, in this case—the candidates and political parties.

The EC has also submitted that several countries including USA, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Armenia, Namibia, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have been using fully or partially Electronic Voting Machines. Some of the countries also have started electronic counting by using technology. Those are Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Belgium, Australia, South Korea, Philippines, Mangolia, Bhutan, Namibia.