Election Commission of India (ECI) proposed a Remote EVM (R-EVM) to address issues related to domestic migrant voting. The goal was to improve the 67.4% voter turnout in the 2019 general election.A survey by Lokniti-CSDS was conducted in September 2023, involving 1,017 migrants living in Delhi’s slums, with 63% men and 37% women, aiming to understand whether the proposed R-EVM system would gain a viable level of trust among its intended users, setting aside legal and logistical concerns raised by political parties.
Remote EVM (R-EVM)
- The term “R-EVM” stands for “Remote Electronic Voting Machine.” It is a proposed system by the Election Commission of India (ECI) aimed at facilitating voting for domestic migrants who are unable to vote in their home constituencies due to their current location away from their registered constituencies.
- The R-EVM is designed to address the issue of domestic migrant voting, allowing registered voters who have moved away from their home constituencies to cast their votes remotely.
Key Features
- Registration Process: Voters interested in using the remote voting facility must register (online or offline) within a pre-notified timeframe with the concerned Returning Officer (RO) of their home constituency.
- Remote Polling Station: A multi-constituency remote polling station will be set up in the area of the voter’s current residence, allowing for remote voting from that location.
- Handling Multiple Constituencies: The RVM can handle multiple constituencies (up to 72) from a single remote polling booth, making it efficient for voters from different constituencies to cast their votes at the same location.
- Voting Process: When the voter scans their constituency card in the presence of the Presiding Officer at the remote polling station, the respective constituency and candidate list will appear on the RVM display.The RVMs have the same security system and voting experience as the existing EVMs and use electronic ballot display to present candidates and their symbols instead of a fixed paper ballot sheet.Voters can select their preferred candidate on the RVM display. The system will count and store the votes for each candidate in a constituency.
Countries Practice Remote Voting
- There are some countries such as Estonia, France, Panama, Pakistan, Armenia etc, which practice remote voting for the citizens living abroad or away from their respective constituencies.
Significant is the Migrant Vote
Migration Patterns and Reasons
- Migrants in Delhi primarily come from neighboring states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.
- Employment opportunities are the major reason for relocation (58%), followed by family-related reasons (18%) and relocation due to marriage (13%).
Migrant Demographics and Residence Duration
- A majority of migrants (61%) have lived in Delhi for more than five years, suggesting a significant presence of long-term migrants.
- However, a considerable number of short-term migrants, especially from Bihar, come to Delhi for seasonal work.
Voter Registration and Electoral Participation
- Approximately 53% of migrants have registered as voters in Delhi, while 27% are registered in their home states. Migrants participate more in national and state-level elections compared to local/panchayat elections.
Return to Home States for Voting
- Migrants, particularly from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, maintain connections to their home states by going back to vote, especially in local and state assembly elections.
- The reasons for returning to vote include exercising their fundamental right to vote (40%) and using the election season as an opportunity to visit family (25%).
Trust in Remote Voting System
- 47% of respondents tend to trust the proposed remote voting system, while 31% express distrust.
- There’s a notable gender difference, with men (50%) showing higher trust compared to women (40%). Trust in the system is higher among better-educated individuals.