Latest news with #EVMs
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Blockchain: Telangana govt eyeing scalable adoption of emerging tech, mulls remote voting
Hyderabad: Telangana is deepening its commitment to blockchain innovation with a focus on real-world use cases, regulatory clarity, and public-interest applications. As Indian Web3 startups continue to migrate abroad due to regulatory uncertainties, the state govt is positioning itself as a model for responsible and scalable adoption of emerging technologies. Speaking at IBT25 India Blockchain Tour Hyderabad node, Jayesh Ranjan, special chief secretary for Special Project (SPEED) and Investment Cell, outlined a series of ongoing initiatives and upcoming pilots designed to embed blockchain into sectors like finance, agriculture, governance, and infrastructure. One of the earliest successes is T-Chits, a blockchain-backed platform for regulating chit funds. 'It is no longer a pilot. It's scaled and in public use,' Ranjan said. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Telangana is not just experimenting with blockchain in finance. Traceability systems for seeds have been introduced to help farmers avoid spurious products. Vehicle registrations are now recorded on a blockchain ledger to ensure the Road Transport Authority doesn't lose revenue during resales or unreported transfers, Ranjan explained. However, the use case that the govt is most excited about isn't yet public-facing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo It's remote voting. 'We've tested a system where citizens can vote from home, using AI-based facial recognition and blockchain security,' Ranjan said. 'Voting in India is full of distrust. Even EVMs are questioned, despite being tamper-proof. But this pilot showed that remote voting can be done without even one percent doubt. It might take time to launch this on a full scale because the idea needs some time to settle in.' Land, for instance, is high on Telangana's list. With ownership disputes, fraud, and unclear transactions bogging down the real estate market, the state sees blockchain-backed land records as a gamechanger. The next cohort of the Web3 sandbox will focus entirely on asset tokenization, including land, intellectual property, and climate-linked assets, added Ranjan. Sukriti Govil, consultant with the govt's emerging technologies wing, spoke about the risks that come with AI. 'We've been careful to avoid use cases involving financial transactions because of regulatory constraints. But we're actively working on frameworks around asset organisation, especially in sectors that need policy clarity and licensing structures. Legacy laws can't address the risks that come with tokenization and AI. We need new digital asset laws that allows us to differentiate between types of tokens, whether they represent data, utility, or securities,' she explained. 'In parallel, Telangana is building TGDeX, Telangana Digital Exchange, which will be launched on Wednesday. It will be started with AI use cases, but the plan is to expand it to blockchain-based applications, particularly secure data exchange. Pilot experiments using blockchain under TGDeX are expected to begin next year,' added Govil. Ranjan announced that they are setting up an accelerator for experiential tourism. It will use technologies like blockchain to preserve and authenticate Telangana's heritage, from the Kakatiya to the Qutub Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties, and enable immersive, verified cultural experiences for tourists.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
INDIA bloc scared of losing Bihar polls: NDA over opposition to revision of electoral rolls
FILE: In this image released by PMO on June 20, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan and others during the inauguration and foundation stone laying of various development projects at a public meeting, in Siwan, Bihar. Political tensions rise in Bihar. NDA leaders reject INDIA bloc's allegations regarding electoral roll revisions. They assert the opposition fears defeat in the upcoming assembly elections. Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi defend the revision process. They highlight its importance for transparency. The INDIA bloc plans to challenge the Election Commission. They express concerns about potential voter suppression. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Patna: A day after the INDIA bloc alleged that the intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar was being conducted to "help" the BJP in the assembly elections due later this year, NDA partners in the state claimed that the Mahagathbandhan was "scared of losing the polls".Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi , both of whom spoke to journalists here separately, claimed that the RJD-Congress-Left combine was trying to come up with an "excuse" for performing poorly in the who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), said, "The Representation of People Act, 1950, stipulates that such revision of electoral rolls be undertaken from time to time. This is to ensure transparency and remove anomalies like dead people's names being retained in voters' lists and those of existing ones missing."The Hajipur MP added, "Those who are raising questions over the exercise seem to be scared of the defeat that stares at them in the face. They have tried to blame their earlier losses on EVMs. This time they are coming up with a fresh excuse."Notably, the special intensive revision has started in the state with booth-level officers going door to door with separate sets of forms meant for voters of different age INDIA bloc had on Friday alleged that the BJP, which rules the Centre and shares power in the state, had put pressure on the Election Commission (EC) to undertake the exercise which could "lead to the deletion of names of those who were unlikely to vote for the NDA".The opposition coalition had also said it would send a delegation to place before the EC its objections, and warned of "future course of action" if the poll panel failed to respond a former chief minister who now represents Gaya Lok Sabha constituency, scoffed at the INDIA bloc for its tirade."I know of many seats where up to 20,000 bogus voters are registered. They (the opposition) would have liked to capitalise on this anomaly. Now, following the special intensive revision, names of such bogus voters would be struck off, much to their chagrin," he added.
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
First-level EVM checks done ahead of Bihar assembly polls, faulty units sent for repairs to Hyderabad
The first-level checking (FLC) of electronic voting machines (EVMs) ahead of the Bihar assembly polls has found that 12.26% of ballot units, 4.96% of control units, and 4.67% of VVPATs were declared 'FLC Rejected' following technical scrutiny across the state. According to the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office, a total of 1,76,506 ballot units were checked, with 21,634 units failing to clear the inspection. Similarly, 6,389 out of 1,28,726 control units and 6,369 out of 1,36,317 VVPATs failed to clear the test. At the same time, officials said, a significant majority of the machines, '1,54,872 BU, 1,22,337 CU, and 1,29,948 VVPATs were found 'FLC OK'' and cleared for use in the upcoming polls. 'A total of 189 engineers from ECIL were deputed to carry out the checks across the state. The rejected machines are being sent to ECIL in Hyderabad for repairs, while the status of all units, whether cleared or rejected, was updated daily on the EMS 2.0 portal,' officials said. The FLC process, described by the Election Commission as 'a preliminary and crucial technical inspection process,' was conducted from May 2 to June 25 under the supervision of district election officers and ECIL engineers, with representatives from all major political parties invited to observe. The FLC process was monitored through live webcasting in all districts, allowing real-time oversight by the Election Commission and the CEO's office. 'After completion of FLC, the list of approved EVMs was provided to all recognised national and state parties at the district level,' officials said, stressing on transparency in the process. The electoral officers noted that all 12 recognised national and state-level political parties were informed about the FLC programme at least six times and urged to send their representatives. 'Over 200 letters were sent to parties that were not attending, urging them to participate,' sources said. The election body mentioned that the state-level meeting chaired by CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal on May 13 reviewed party participation and the progress of the FLC. 'Most major parties, including the BJP, Congress, RJD, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), CPI(M), CPI(ML), and BSP, actively participated across districts, while others such as the Aam Aadmi Party, RLSP, and RLJP had limited presence. The National People's Party did not participate in any district,' officials said. Officials noted that party participation was 'robust in 31 districts', including Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur, while seven districts – Banka, Darbhanga, Gaya, Gopalganj, Nalanda, Supaul and Kishanganj – saw comparatively fewer party representatives during the FLC. 'All parties expressed satisfaction with the quality and arrangements of the process,' the electoral officials said. They informed that the Election Commission of India and the CEO's office maintained 'intensive and continuous monitoring' of the process through live webcasting and field visits. '28 observers, including senior officials and EVM nodal officers from other states, were deployed for on-ground supervision,' EC officials said, with CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal personally inspecting FLC halls in Patna and Katihar. With the completion of the FLC, officials said Bihar is now 'fully prepared for the upcoming Assembly elections, reaffirming the commitment to a transparent and credible electoral process.'
Hans India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
‘Maintain strict vigil at EVM storage facility'
Kurnool District Collector P Ranjith Basha has directed officials to maintain round-the-clock strict surveillance at the EVM (Electronic Voting Machines) storage facility. He issued these instructions during a quarterly inspection of the godown, conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India. The inspection was carried out on Friday at the EVM godown located within the Collectorate premises, in the presence of representatives from various political parties. The Collector meticulously examined the storage of EVMs and reviewed the existing security arrangements inside the facility. Officials demonstrated the safeguards in place, and the Collector verified compliance with protocols. The transparent inspection aimed to build confidence among stakeholders regarding the secure handling of EVMs. Participating in the inspection were District Revenue Officer Venkata Narayanamma, Election Department Superintendent Murali and political party representatives including Sai Pradeep (BJP), Manjunath (Jana Sena), Arun Kumar (Bahujan Samaj Party district In-charge), P. Raju (Vice President, Telugu Yuvatha - TDP) and Bajaranna (Congress).
The Hindu
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bihar municipal election: First State using mobile phones for voting, says State Election Commissioner Deepak Prasad
Ahead of the Assembly election in Bihar, voting for the municipal elections is being conducted through mobile for the first time in Bihar on Saturday (June 28, 2025) for six councils in Patna, Rohtas and East Champaran district. The polling started at 7 a.m. While voting is being done through EVMs at all the booths, voters, on the other hand, are also casting their votes, by sitting at home, through mobile app. Voting is being done at a total of 489 booths. These voters will decide the fate of 538 candidates. Tejashwi Yadav projected as CM face of INDIA bloc in Bihar by Congress leaders Bihar State Election Commissioner Deepak Prasad earlier on Friday (June 27, 2025) had shared the information to media with this regard that for the first time, voters in the municipal elections would be able to cast vote through mobile. The facilities are available for those people who are unable to go to polling booths to cast their votes. To avail this facility, the voters need to install the app in their android phones. Senior citizens, disabled people and pregnant women can avail this option. 'To avail his facility, the voters have to install the E-SECBHR app and then they have to link the mobile number already added in the voters list. The app has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC),' Mr. Prasad said. He however, did not mention anything whether this facility would be available during the upcoming Assembly election due in October-November 2025. One of the biggest fears of e-voting is the possible tampering, however, Mr. Prasad asserted that efforts have been made to maintain transparency and the voting process would be smooth and fair. Centre ready to set up nuclear power plant in Bihar: Manohar Lal Khattar Only two registered voters are allowed to log in using one mobile number and verification of each voter is being done by entering the vote id number. Voters who do have mobile phones can cast by going on the website of Bihar Election Commission using e-voting. The other security measures put in place are features such as blockchain technology, face matching and scanning to ensure that it cannot be tampered. Till last evening, around 10,000 voters have registered for mobile voting and around 50,000 voters are expected to cast their votes using websites.
