The Election Commission of India (ECI) is exploring the option of using a modified version of the time-tested model of M3 EVMs to enable voting at remote polling stations, i.e., polling stations outside the home constituency, for domestic migrants.
The migrant voter would thus need not travel back to his/her home district to exercise his/her franchise.
The Commission has invited all recognised eight national and 57 state political parties on 16 January to demonstrate the functioning of the multi-constituency prototype remote EVMs. Technical expert committee members will also be present.
The Commission has also solicited written views of recognised political parties by 31 January on various related issues including changes required in legislation, changes in administrative procedures and voting method/RVM/technology, if any other, for domestic migrants.
Based on the feedback received from various stakeholders and demonstration of the prototype, the Commission will appropriately carry forward the process of implementing the remote voting method, a press note today said.
This modified form of EVM can handle up to 72 multiple constituencies from a single remote polling booth. The initiative, if implemented, can lead to a social transformation for the migrants and connect with their roots as many times they are reluctant to get themselves enrolled at their place of work for various reasons such as frequently changing residences, not enough social and emotional connect with the issues of an area of migration and unwillingness to get their name deleted in the electoral roll of their home/native constituencies as they have permanent residence/property.