Madhya Pradesh Pioneers India’s First Paperless Election

Tags: State News

Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has conducted India’s first paperless election.

An Overview of the News

• The pilot project took place during a Panchayat by-election in Ratua Ratanpur village, Bhopal, for the position of Sarpanch, achieving an 84% voter turnout.

• The initiative aims to digitize manual voting processes previously conducted on paper.

• Voter identification now utilizes thumb impressions and electronic signatures to ensure authenticity and prevent proxy voting.

Benefits of the Paperless System

• The new system generates real-time data and improves accuracy while requiring fewer human resources.

• It enhances transparency and facilitates a smoother election process.

Online Monitoring and Communication

• Voting percentages and ballot accounting are conducted online, with updates provided every two hours across all platforms.

• After polling, accounts of ballot papers are electronically sent to candidates and polling agents via email.