Latest news with #BiharStateElectionCommission
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Bihar Becomes 1st State To Allow Voting Via Mobile Phone App
Patna: Bihar will be the first state to permit voting via a mobile phone, State Election Commissioner Deepak Prasad said Friday evening, ahead of voting tomorrow for six municipal councils in three districts. Councils in Patna, Rohtas, and East Champaran will go to the polls Saturday. The state will also hold an Assembly election later this year. It is unclear if the vote-via-mobile phone facility will be offered then too. In any case, for tomorrow the facility will be available to those who cannot go to a polling booth on the day of voting, Prasad said as he introduced the new e-voting initiative. Votes can be cast via an app that must be installed on the phone, he said. "This facility is for those unable to reach the polling station due to physical or locational reasons... like senior citizens, disabled persons, those who are pregnant and migrant voters." An awareness campaign was run from June 10 to 22. Voters who wish to register for e-voting must download the e-SECBHR app on their mobile (according to reports the app is compatible with Android phones only at this time) and link it to the phone number already registered to their name on the electoral roll. The app, Prasad said, had been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, or C-DAC, while another was developed by the Bihar State Election Commission. To maintain transparency while voting, only two registered voters can log in from one mobile number. However, the validity of every vote will be cross-checked against individual IDs. Those without mobile phones can also vote on the State Election Commission's website. According to Prasad, an estimated 10,000 voters had already signed up for this initiative, and another 50,000 are expected to cast votes without visiting polling booths, i.e., via the website. Asked about measures to ensure the integrity of the voting process, Prasad said 'fool-proof digital security' had been ensured. "The system will have features like a blockchain platform... face match and scanning... making the process tamper-proof," he said. He also said an audit trail - like the VVPAT, or Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail, for the Electronic Voting Machines used in Assembly and federal elections - had been put in place.
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
What is mobile-based e-voting that Bihar has adopted first in India for municipal elections?
In a first for India, Bihar is set to implement Android mobile-based e-voting on June 28 for municipal by-elections for deputy chief councillor and ward councillor posts in Buxar Nagar Parishad. The entire e-voting process as part of the pilot initiative will be carried out using two mobile applications: 'e-Voting SECBHR", developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), and another app created by the Bihar State Election Commission. The e-voting system consists of an audit trail similar to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system used in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), while the Face Recognition System (FRS), Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for vote counting, and digital locks for EVM strongrooms are also being utilised in parallel to enhance the polling process. The system comprises features like a blockchain platform. While speaking to Akashvani News a few days ago, State Election Commissioner Deepak Prasad said 10,000 electorates have registered for e-voting and 50,000 electorates will be able to exercise their right to vote via e-voting without visiting polling booths. He pointed out that strong digital security measures are in place and migrant labourers, migrant voters, the elderly, senior citizens, divyang voters, pregnant women, and seriously ill electorates will be able to exercise their votes using this process. The state election commissioner said that only the European country of Estonia has executed the e-voting process. The purpose to bring this process in effect is mainly for voters who go through challenges in reaching polling booths. It is likely to boost voter participation by making voting more accessible and convenient. Registration for e-voting was open until June 22, 2025. According to a Times of India report, DM Vidya Nand Singh said all preparations have been made for a transparent process. The administration has put up 136 polling stations. The e-voting window will remain open from 7 am to 1 pm on the polling day. The votes will be counted on June 30. 'The mobile application developed for this initiative ensures both confidentiality and security. Votes cast electronically will be encrypted and locked immediately, and will only be decrypted during the official counting process to maintain the integrity and secrecy of the election,' TOI quoted Singh as saying.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
All preps done for e-voting in Buxar: DM
Buxar: Bihar State Election Commission is set to roll out an e-voting system using an Android-based application for the first time in the state. The pilot initiative will be implemented during the by-elections scheduled for June 28, for the posts of deputy chief councillor and ward councillor of the Buxar Nagar Parishad. With this, Bihar will become the first state in the country to adopt e-voting in an official electoral process. Buxar DM Vidya Nand Singh, said that all necessary preparations have been completed to ensure a smooth and transparent e-voting process. The district administration has set up 136 polling stations for the election. Approximately 13,000 eligible voters — including senior citizens above 80 years of age, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, critically ill individuals, and migrant workers—will have the option to cast their votes via a dedicated mobile application. Voters must complete prior registration to avail of the digital voting facility. The e-voting window will remain open from 7am to 1pm on June 28, while counting of votes is scheduled for June 30. "The mobile application developed for this initiative ensures both confidentiality and security. Votes cast electronically will be encrypted and locked immediately, and will only be decrypted during the official counting process to maintain the integrity and secrecy of the election," said the DM.
