Rajiv Kumar advocates for remote voting for NRIs, biometric authentication to prevent impersonation, and AI to revolutionize the electoral process
Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar has emphasized the need for remote voting mechanisms for NRIs and migrant workers, biometric authentication at polling booths, and AI integration to enhance electoral transparency. In his farewell speech, he also called for a totaliser system to ensure voting secrecy and urged action against misinformation on social media, reported ndtv.com.
Kumar urges swift action on NRI voting and stronger election security measures
Kumar stressed that India’s commitment to democracy should extend to enabling NRIs to vote remotely. He stated that while the Election Commission has developed mechanisms for this, implementation depends on government approval. Currently, NRIs must be physically present in India to vote, but discussions on postal and online voting have yet to yield concrete results.
He also highlighted the need for consensus on remote voting for domestic migrant workers and the importance of securing elections through biometric authentication. This, he said, would prevent voter impersonation and multiple voting, ensuring every vote is cast by the rightful individual.
AI, misinformation, and election security
Kumar acknowledged AI’s potential to revolutionize elections while warning against the spread of fake narratives on social media. He criticized “unsubstantiated attacks on democratic institutions,” citing a pattern of misinformation during polling and counting hours. He called for stronger regulatory measures to counter such disruptions and protect electoral integrity.
The totaliser system to safeguard voter secrecy
Currently, votes are counted separately for each polling station, revealing how different areas voted. Kumar warned that this could lead to post-election violence and discrimination against opposition supporters. He advocated for using the totaliser system, which would aggregate votes across multiple polling stations to maintain secrecy. He urged political consensus and pilot testing for its implementation.
Selection of the new CEC
A three-member panel, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, will select Kumar’s replacement. The new CEC will oversee the upcoming Bihar elections and likely elections in Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu in 2026.
***********************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken a small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, running a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will make a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com