E-voting not withdrawn, says SEC

Online polling has not been withdrawn and voters in six municipal corporation areas, who have registered themselves for e-voting, can vote either from their personal computers with internet connections at their residence or offices, according to State Election Commission (SEC).

However, no e-polling booths would be set up as earlier planned, SEC secretary P S Shah told The Indian Express. On the cancellation of e-polling booths, Shah said that online polling from residences or offices would save time.

He said that online voting facility, on a pilot basis, will be provided in one ward each of the six municipal corporation — Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavngar and Jamnagar — going to polls in October.

However, reports received by SEC from different municipal corporation areas indicate that the response for online polling from electorates have been poor.

According to officials, many people are not coming forward because of the new technology and system involved in it. But they are confident it would be pick up when people come to know of the system after its use in the forthcoming poll.

The infrastructure for the online voting is being developed by Tata Consultancy Services at a cost of Rs 31 crore.

SEC officials said it would be a foolproof arrangement, making Gujarat the first state in the country to provide online voting facility.

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