Election Commission officials have informed a parliamentary panel that political consensus is the way forward for introducing technology-based remote voting, sources said on Friday.
Officials also informed the panel that the commission had initially explored options with reputed academic institutions for blockchain-based remote internet voting, sources said.
Top officials of the Election Commission on Thursday made a power point presentation before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Personnel chaired by senior BJP leader Sushil Modi.
They also informed the panel that world-over remote voting is mostly postal via paper ballot. Internet voting has been considered only in exceptional cases.
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Talking about the way ahead for remote voting in the country, ECI officials emphasised on the need for “political consensus” among political parties for introduction of this voting methodology, sources said.
The officials also underlined the need for defining remote voting and remote voter, amendment to acts and rules, technology or development of Remote Voting Machines (RVMs), modification of procedures and financial implications. Officials also suggested that the introduction of remote voting may require legal changes in electoral roll related provisions, polling booth, territorial concept, conduct of elections, counting and electoral offences, sources said.