As digital technologies reshape governance and public service delivery, the electoral process too is witnessing a gradual transformation. Bihar has emerged as a pioneer in this space by introducing a technology-driven e-voting framework aimed at expanding democratic participation, particularly among migrant workers, elderly citizens, and people with disabilities.
In this conversation Dr. Deepak Prasad, IAS (1989 Batch), State Election Commissioner, Bihar, with Anuj Sharma and Muskan Jaiswal of Elets Technomedia, discusses the vision behind Bihar’s e-voting initiative, the technologies powering the system, and how innovation can make democracy more inclusive and resilient. Edited excerpts:
Bihar has taken a pioneering step by introducing e-voting. What motivated the state to adopt this approach, and how has the journey evolved so far?
Whenever we undertake a major electoral reform, the fundamental question we must ask, – why is it necessary?
In India, voter turnout in many elections typically ranges between 55 to 65 percent. This means that nearly 35 to 45 percent of eligible voters are unable to participate in the democratic process. Such a large gap raises an important concern: can a democracy truly reflect the will of its people if a significant proportion remains excluded?
In Bihar, we began to closely examine the underlying reasons for this participation gap. One of the most prominent factors is migration for livelihood. A large number of citizens move to other cities and states in search of livelihood, yet remain registered as voters in their native places. For many of them, returning home solely to cast their vote is neither practical nor economically feasible.
Beyond migrant workers, several other segments of society face genuine barriers in accessing polling booths. These include:
- Persons with disabilities
- Elderly citizens, particularly those above 80 years of age
- Patients suffering from chronic illnesses or those who are hospitalised
- Pregnant women and individuals with temporary or permanent mobility challenges
When we viewed these challenges collectively, it became evident that this was not an isolated issue—but a structural limitation in ensuring inclusive participation. it became clear that we needed a systemic & technology-based solution to enable these citizens to participate in the “festival of democracy.”
e-Voting emerged as a promising approach—one that has the potential to bridge this participation gap and make the democratic process more inclusive, accessible, and citizen-centric.
In essence, the motivation behind Bihar’s e-voting initiative is rooted in a simple objective: to ensure that no eligible voter is left behind due to circumstances beyond their control.
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in governance. How has Bihar leveraged technology in the electoral ecosystem?
Technology has been a key enabler in strengthening transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in the electoral process. In Bihar, we have adopted a comprehensive approach to digitise the election management ecosystem end-to-end. This includes multiple stages such as planning, voter services, election operations, monitoring, and post-election processes.
Today, most election-related services and processes are accessible through digital platforms. We have developed over 50 web-based applications, mobile applications and monitoring systems to streamline various aspects of election administration. This has significantly improved operational efficiency while ensuring better coordination across stakeholders ensuring
A major focus area has been transparency. Orders issued during scrutiny, circulars, guidelines, and other official communications are made available online. This ensures that citizens, candidates, and election officials all have access to the same information at the same time, reducing information asymmetry and enhancing trust in the system.
Given the scale at which elections are conducted in Bihar—with nearly 7.25 crore electors—it becomes essential to leverage technology not only for efficient management but also for voter awareness and empowerment. Digital platforms enable us to reach a wider population and make electoral processes more accessible and user-friendly.
In this context, e-voting is a natural extension of Bihar’s broader effort to build a more inclusive, transparent, and technology-driven electoral ecosystem.
Globally, only a few countries have adopted e-voting. Did international models influence Bihar’s approach?
Yes, international experiences did provide valuable insights during the conceptualisation of Bihar’s e-voting initiative. Countries like Estonia have demonstrated how technology can be effectively integrated into the electoral process through internet voting. However, Estonia operates in a very different context, with a relatively small population and high levels of digital literacy and digital infrastructure.
India—and particularly a state like Bihar—presents a far more complex scenario. We are dealing with a large, diverse population with varying levels of internet access, digital awareness, and socio-economic conditions. Therefore, rather than replicating global models, our focus was on adapting relevant learnings to suit local realities.
Our approach was guided by three key principles.
First, the technology itself must be robust, secure, and rigorously tested. Elections are highly sensitive processes, and even minor lapses can impact public trust. Therefore, reliability and security have been non-negotiable priorities
Second, the system must be people-centric and easy to use, ensuring that even first-time or low digital literacy users can participate without difficulty.
Third,.the system must be administratively viable. Election officials and ground-level functionaries should be well-trained and confident in operating and managing the technology.
In essence, while global examples provided direction, Bihar’s e-voting model has been consciously designed to address the scale, diversity, and ground realities of the Indian electoral ecosystem.
Could you elaborate on the technological architecture that powers Bihar’s e-voting system?
The e-voting framework in Bihar has been designed as a multi-layered architecture to ensure three fundamental requirements—security, authenticity, and secrecy of votes.
At the core of the system is a robust voter authentication mechanism. A Facial Recognition System (FRS) is used to verify voter identity both at the time of registration and on the day of voting. The system matches the live image captured through a mobile device with the photograph available in the electoral roll, ensuring that only genuine voters are able to cast their votes.
Artificial Intelligence plays a critical supporting role in this process. Since many voter photographs in electoral rolls may be outdated or of varying quality, AI-based facial matching technologies help improve accuracy and reliability despite such variations.
Another important component of the architecture is the use of Blockchain Technology. This ensures the integrity and secrecy of votes. Once a vote is cast, it is securely recorded and cannot be altered. The encrypted vote data is distributed across multiple secure nodes, making the system resistant to tampering and unauthorised access.
To further strengthen control and accountability, Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) keys are used at critical stages. Returning Officers utilise their unique digital keys to securely upload ballot papers and decrypt results during the counting process. This ensures that only authorised officials can perform sensitive operations.
In addition, all election-related data is stored within the State Data Centre, rather than on external cloud infrastructure, and is protected through end-to-end encryption. These multiple layers of security make the system extremely robust.
How does the e-voting process work from a voter’s perspective?
The e-voting process has been designed to be simple, and user-friendly. The process begins with registration. Interested voters can register through a mobile application during a designated window, typically around two weeks prior to the election. During this stage, their identity is authenticated using facial recognition to ensure that only eligible voters are onboarded.
On the day of polling, the voter logs into the application and undergoes a second round of authentication. This additional verification layer ensures the integrity of the voting process and prevents unauthorised access.
Once authenticated, the digital ballot paper is displayed on the screen. The voter can select their preferred candidate in a manner similar to the familiar voting experience. Before final submission, the system provides an option to review and change the selection, ensuring accuracy and voter confidence.
After the vote is cast, the voter receives a confirmation on the screen, similar in concept to the VVPAT mechanism used in electronic voting machines. This provides assurance that the vote has been recorded.
We also actively collect feedback from voters regarding their experience. This helps us continuously refine the system, making it more accessible, reliable, and responsive to user needs.
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Implementing such a system must have involved several challenges. What were the major hurdles you encountered?
The most significant challenge was the initial scepticism and disbelief surrounding the concept of e-voting. Since this was the first time such a system was being introduced in the country, both voters and stakeholders had concerns about how it would function in practice. Voters had questions about whether their votes would remain secure and whether the system could be manipulated. Interestingly, election officials themselves had even more concerns because they would ultimately be responsible for implementing the system on the ground.
To address these concerns, we conducted extensive testing, consultations, and awareness campaigns. Information was disseminated through social media, print media, websites, and educational videos. We also organised ward-level outreach programmes where teams visited specific locations at scheduled times to demonstrate the system and answer questions. Gradually, as people understood the technology and saw its reliability, confidence in the system began to grow.
Looking ahead, what potential do you see for e-voting in strengthening democratic participation?
E-voting holds significant potential to expand and deepen democratic participation by making the electoral process more inclusive and accessible.
It can particularly benefit segments of the population that currently face barriers in participating in elections. This includes migrant workers, elderly citizens, persons with disabilities, and individuals dealing with medical or mobility challenges. By reducing the need for physical presence at polling stations, e-voting can enable these groups to exercise their voting rights more conveniently.
In addition, e-voting can enhance the resilience of the electoral system. In situations such as pandemics, natural disasters, or other emergencies—where conventional polling may be disrupted—technology-enabled voting can ensure continuity of the democratic process.
At a broader level, the goal is not just to introduce a new method of voting, but to strengthen the foundations of democracy by making it more inclusive, accessible, and participatory.
When implemented with adequate safeguards, transparency, and institutional oversight, technology can play a transformative role in strengthening democratic institutions by enhancing trust, improving participation, and empowering citizens to engage more actively in the democratic process.
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