Smart voting for 2012 BMC polls not secure?

Even as the Maharashtra State Election Commission readies for its first experiment with smart voting involving computer kiosks through which citizens can cast their vote remotely during the 2012 municipal corporation elections,a New Delhi-based organisation has alleged that the software solution to be used by the frontrunners for the project compromises the security and secrecy of the process.

Even as the Maharashtra State Election Commission readies for its first experiment with smart voting involving computer kiosks through which citizens can cast their vote remotely during the 2012 municipal corporation elections,a New Delhi-based organisation has alleged that the software solution to be used by the frontrunners for the project compromises the security and secrecy of the process.

In letters written to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the state Election Commission,the Center for Transforming India claimed that the e-voting platform proposed by IGate-Patni (a solution from Canadian firm Intelivote Systems Inc) does not completely protect the identity of the voter. Further,it is also insecure to any type of vote rigging, said the letter signed by Chief Trustee of the organisation,Pankaj Sharma. The letter goes on to state that electronic voting in Canadian urban local bodies where Intelivotes e-voting software was used was marked by glitches,and in one case even required an extension of voting hours.

Officials at the state Election Commission believe the complaint against Intelivote is engineered by rival IT firms or a losing bidder since the contract is now almost certain to be awarded to IGate-Patni. But Sharma calls it a matter of concern that a progressive move to persuade greater number of voters to exercise their franchise,especially in urban pockets with famously low voter turnouts,could be abandoned at a later stage for want of a secure software.

Not only has the softwares performance been poor,but the Maharashtra pattern will also demotivate voters by requiring them to make two trips first to get registered for an online vote and then to a kiosk on the polling day, he said,adding that with the number of users shrinking due to the double inconvenience,the entire process of mopping up better voting percentages will be derailed. The least the Commission should do is write to the Canadian agencies who used the solution and ask about its performance, Sharma said.

Confirming that IGate-Patni and its partner for the bidding Intelivote were picked as frontrunners by a technical committee evaluating the bids,Additional Chief Secretary (state Election Commission) Chand Goel said IGate-Patnis final bid after negotiations is expected soon. He added,however,that the State Election Commission will not purchase any readymade software. The solution has to be customised to ensure that all requirements are complied with, said Goel. The verification of a voters identity,the protection of identity at the time of casting the vote,the non-transferability of the vote and the secrecy and security of the vote will all be requirements that must be met,he said.

He added that the IGate-Patni solution includes a smart card with a highly secure password that cannot be cloned. Also,a final decision on whether to implement the system will be taken only in October after a complete mock-up and trial during which all stakeholders,including political parties and voters,will be involved, Goel said.

Of the three technically qualified bidders for the contract,Intelivotes solution was the only one that has been used earlier in an election to an urban local body,said officials. Representatives of IGate-Patni did not comment.

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