Kalam bats for E-elections to bring transparency

Imagine voters having mobile phones using a secured and an authentic app to vote for the candidate of their choice in their constituency!

New Delhi: Imagine voters having mobile phones using a secured and an authentic app to vote for the candidate of their choice in their constituency!

This is what former President A P J Abdul Kalam visualises for implementing a transparent system for elections in the country in his new book "A Manifesto for Change".

In this book, which is a sequel to "India 2020", Kalam, writing with co-author V Ponraj, examines the requirements of India to become a developed country by 2020.

"A Manifesto for Change", published by HarperCollins India, is the result of five years of Kalam?s research on our parliamentary system.

He says a new, independent Lokpal bill (not in the present form) empowering an independent CVC, independent CBI, and independent special court with a checks and balance mechanism built-in to deal with corruption cases with constitutional authority status similar to that of the Election Commission are the need of the hour.

Advocating for E-elections, the country`s 11th President writes, "I visualise an election scenario in which a candidate files his nomination from a particular constituency.

Immediately, the election officer verifies his or her authenticity using the national citizen ID (UIDAI/National Population Register ID/any other citizen ID) database.

"His or her civic status is reflected by the crime record with the police. His property record comes from the land authority; income and wealth sources from the income tax department; education credentials from university records; employment record from various employers; credit history from various credit institutions like banks; and legal records from the judicial system."

All these details will then automatically show up on the election officer?s computer screen within a few minutes, thanks to an e-governance software which scans state and central government directories, Kalam says.

"The election officer immediately decides on the candidate`s eligibility, and the election process starts. During the election, voters having mobile phone with their national ID can use a secured and authentic election mobile app to vote for the candidate of their choice in their constituency, besides the option of going to a polling booth," he suggests.

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