Page 247 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Technology as Enabler Chapter 10

With Know Your Candidate App (2022) it has become easy service. Missing the time-frame window could mean
for the electors to know about particulars and criminal waste of one's precious vote. The electoral participation
antecedents, if any, of every candidate in the elections (as of service voters had thus been low. To alleviate the
disclosed to the Returning Officer in one's nomination). situation, Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System

Launch of e-EPIC (2021): On 11 National Voters’ Day (ETPBS) was introduced in October, 2016. The facility
(January 25, 2021) e-EPIC or digital voter identity cards entails one-way electronic transmission of the Postal
were launched. The initiative provides the voters with Ballots to the service voters. Electors could register online
ease of access to the EPIC in a secured manner. The e- on dedicated portal: https://www.servicevoter.eci.nic.in.
EPIC could be downloaded on mobile on in a self Under ETPBS, the ballots are automatically assigned to
printable form on a computer. It can be generated by
the service voters based on their constituency and
logging in from Voter Mobile App (Android/iOS), Voter transmitted electronically in a secured manner. Though
Portal (https://voterportal.eci.gov.in/) or National
still one-way, the ETPBS scripted a major success story in
Voters' Service Portal (https://www.nvsp.in/).
General Elections, 2019. The participation of service
Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (2016): voters jumped to 60.14 percent from merely four percent
Postal ballot facility, to which service voters are entitled, in the previous General Elections in 2014. A two-way
was susceptible to delays associated with the postal ETPBS facility is currently under consideration.

Remote Voting Machine (2023):
Election Commission of India proposes to introduce
Remote Voting, in consultation with all major political
parties, to facilitate voting by electors who could not be
present in their respective constituencies on the day of
polling for reasons like work, education, medical
treatment or domestic travel plans. While a Remote Voting
Machine prototype developed by Electronic Corporation
of India Ltd., a Public Sector Undertaking is part of the
technical solution, its actual implementation will depend
upon a host of administrative, legal and logistical factors.
At present, work is under progress on the scheme.
Migrant workers across India are likely to be the single
largest segment to benefit from this initiative. Many migrant
workers in big cities experience difficulty or are reluctant to
register as voters with local addresses since they change
residence frequently. The scheme will help them to exercise
their franchise in home constituency remotely.

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