Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM)

The election Commission of India (ECI) has developed a prototype for the Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM) aimed to facilitate voting for domestic migrants across India. The prototype of the RVM will be demonstrated to political parties on January 16th, and if it is successful, it will allow domestic migrants to vote without having to travel back to their hometowns. The RVM will be a stand-alone system, not connected to the internet, and based on existing electronic voting machines. The goal of the RVM is to increase voter participation and make it easier for domestic migrants to participate in elections.

What are RVMs?

• The RVM is a multi-constituency electronic voting machine that can handle up to 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth. It is based on the time-tested M3 (Mark 3) EVMs and will be used to enable voting at remote polling stations for domestic migrants.
• The ECI has invited all eight recognized national and 57 state political parties to a demonstration of the RVM on January 16th, and has also solicited written views from these parties by January 31st on various related issues, including changes needed in legislation and administrative procedures.

Challenges and considerations

• There are several challenges and considerations that must be addressed in order to successfully implement the RVM system.
• These include defining domestic migrants, enumerating remote voters, and ensuring the secrecy of voting and the presence of polling agents for voter identification.
• The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951, The Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 will also need to be amended to introduce remote voting.
• Other considerations include the method of remote voting, the familiarity of voters with the RVM technology, and the counting and transmission of votes cast at remote polling stations.

Why do we need RVMs?

There is no central database available for migration within India, but analysis of available data suggests that work, marriage, and education are major factors in domestic migration. “Out-migration” is more common among the rural population, and around 85% of internal migration is within states. The ECI has developed the RVM system in order to make it easier for domestic migrants to participate in elections, as many are reluctant to register to vote at their place of work due to frequently changing residences, a lack of social and emotional connections with their area of migration, or a desire to keep their name on the electoral roll of their home or native constituency.

Category: India Nation & States Current Affairs