[Reader-list] Low voter turnout: Smart card a smart solution?

[Taha Mehmood]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Low-voter-turnout-Smart-card-a-smart-solution/articleshow/4469680.cms

Low voter turnout: Smart card a smart solution?
1 May 2009, 0407 hrs IST, Ramu Bhagwat, TNN

NAGPUR: With voting in the third phase over on Thursday, the fate of
candidates contesting from all 48 seats in Maharashtra now hangs in
the
balance. But the lower voter turnout of less than 44 per cent in
Mumbai in line with the trend from the first phase has once again put
all political parties in a quandary.

BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani has called for amending
the Constitution to fix the term for legislatures, making voting
compulsory and simultaneous elections of the Lok Sabha and state
assemblies as steps to get over the problem of dwindling voter
numbers. A cross-section of IT professionals from the city have voted
for a software solution, something like a smart card as the best way
out to get around the problem.

Incidentally, reports from Gujarat said Advani and his wife Kamla had
to do some booth hopping before casting their names in the voter list.
They could not vote in Gandhinagar, from where the BJP veteran is
contesting, as their names were not in the voters' list and there
after the delimitation exercise. They could finally cast vote in
Shahpur in the Ahmedabad (West) Lok Sabha constituency, miles away
from Gandhinagar.

"Searching for the allotted polling station, finding the name in the
list are daunting tasks that put off the voter from venturing out on
an otherwise public holiday especially during extreme weather
conditions. A smart card that can be integrated with national security
requirements, a ration card, vital data a multi-purpose card with
unique number that can be used from anywhere in the country is the
need of the hour. IT can play a big role in this to make voting a more
friendly exercise," said Amitabh Khanna, president, Vidarbha
Association of Software Exporters.

Talking to ToI he said all this would entail huge networking and
expediter. But he was sure it would be worth exploring. In fact such a
device could subsequently reduce recurring cost of conducting the
election exercise.

Networking wizard Amrit Narayan Prasad agreed that an IT solution
could certainly boost the sagging voter turnout by at least 20 per
cent as voter would find it easy to cast his choice from anywhere
helping those touring out on the polling day.

But he felt the current low Turnout was more an indicator of the
growing pessimism towards political parties and leaders among all
sections of the Indian society. "They don't keep promises," he
explained but agreed that a voter-friendly IT solution could be worked
out and the Election Commission of India should think on these lines
as a long-term solution.

Anand Garodia, director of city-based Leansoft Solutions said a smart
card for voting could increase voting percentage and also help
security and other requirements. Such a common card for every citizen
can be developed though cost involved could be enormous. But the
benefits could be worth it," said Garodia.