E-Paper
Kurukshetra MP seeks introduction of e-voting to make polling accessible
Jindal said that India frequently discusses ease of living and ease of doing business and it is now time to make ease of voting a national priority
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Parliament winter session, Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal, on Wednesday called for introduction of e-voting so as to make the polling accessible for millions of Indians to vote during the elections from wherever they are.
Jindal said that India frequently discusses ease of living and ease of doing business and it is now time to make ease of voting a national priority.
“More than 1.5 crore Non Resident Indians (NRIs) hold Indian citizenship but many of them cannot return to the country during elections. As a result, a large number of people who contribute to the Indian economy and society through their work abroad are unable to take part in the democratic process,” he said.
The BJP lawmaker said that India is already a global leader in digital payments and secure online systems and it countries like Estonia, France, Switzerland and Mexico can successfully implement remote and electronic voting for their citizens, then India should also create a safe digital mechanism that allows eligible voters to participate from wherever they are.
He suggested that a secure Absentee or E-Voting system can help senior citizens, divyang citizens, migrant workers and others who face difficulties in reaching the polling booth.
Jindal said that India’s voter turnout often remains around 64 to 65% and that the introduction of secure digital voting can significantly increase participation.
He urged the Union government and the election commission of India to study global best practices and develop a robust system that allows NRIs and other voters to cast their vote at least one week before polling day.
