Monday, 18 March 2024

Votes Audit : Paper gives 99.9936% / Electronic gives 100 %

Yesterday, from the maidan of Shivaji Park (Mumbai), we heard following voices :

Ø Shri Faruq Abdulla

> Scrap 55 lakh EVM and go back to paper ballots (will also need scrapping of

VVPAT )

Ø Shri Jairam Ramesh

> Continue EVM voting but increase VVPAT from 5 % to 100 %

At this point, it is worth recalling that even with only 5 % VVPAT , statistical

confidence level of accuracy is 99.9936 % . So , introducing 100 % VVPAT will

hardly improve the confidence level , any more

On the other hand , it will mean MANUAL verification of 97 CRORE paper slips ( as

good as paper ballot – except , on top of 100 % EVM based voting ! )

Dear Shri Narendrabhai Modiji :

With just 4 weeks to go for Lok Sabha Elections, it is too late to arrive at a “

Compromise Solution “ for this problem

But, for State elections to be conducted in 2025 , I request you to consider my

following suggestion to replace VVPAT with EAT ( Electronic Audit Trail ) :

# Modify VVPAT machine ( whose current approx. cost = Rs 8,000 ). It will have

NO PAPER – just a BLUE TOOTH enabled small electronic device (much like a

mobile phone / wifi router ) – with necessary software

# This device ( shall we call it EAT ? ) will NOT be connected ( hard wired ) with

EVM ( as at present )

# EAT will be placed on the table of the Registering Clerk , who enters details in

Voter Register / applies ink

# Voter will place her mobile phone on TOP of the EAT , before entering the

voting enclosure

# As soon as voter selects her candidate and presses the button , that DATA will

get transmitted to EAT . Of course, since EAT does not have a SCREEN , no

one can see the DATA ( viz : Candidate Name / No / Party symbol )

# In turn , this ( Voter’s choice ) DATA, will get transmitted to voter’s mobile ( as

password protected SMS ) – And to the Central Server of the Election

Commission. Voter can now see the DATA using password. Data will visible

only for 10 minutes from voting time

# After casting her vote , Voter will pick up her mobile from top of EAT . This

removal will erase the DATA from the memory of EAT and it will turn

blank – ready to receive the mobile of the next voter ( activation )

Dear Prime Minister :

Considering the following advantages of my suggestion , I urge you to include it in

BJP’s Manifesto and in your 100 days ROADMAP :

( A )

This solution will guarantee 100 % voter audit , without increasing the work of

Election Commission. All political parties will support it, since this is their own

demand

( B )

As each vote gets cast , the data can get dynamically updated on the web site of

the Election Commission. Without revealing voter identity or the identity of the

political party , public will get to see the TREND of voting, such as :

# Number of Votes cast / Percentage of votes cast ( up to the minute ) / Of

course, no revelation of who is leading / trailing – which will be left to the

analysts of TV channels

( C )

Final result will not require ANY COUNTING ( aggregating and uploading data from

55 lakh EVM ) , since uploading is continuously taking place ,every second, from

all over the country in REAL TIME. Election results of each of 542 seats, can

become visible WITHIN MINUTES of the last vote cast !

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai / 19 March 2024

Related Readings :

Ø EVMbahana ………. ………………………………………..17 Mar 2017

Ø Progress : of a doubtful kind ? .. ……………………19 Oct 2017

Ø Simultaneous Polling.. ………………………………………22 Jan 2018

Ø VVPAT ? How about EVBAT ? …………. …………..28 Mar 2019

Ø 100 % verification of VVPAT ? No problem ! .. 02 Apr 2019

Ø From “ Lost Votes “ to “ Remote Votes “ ? .. .12 Feb 2020

Ø Slow and Steady ? Way Democracy Works .. 12 Mar 2020

Ø Analysis Needed : Paralysis Avoided …………… 13 Sept 2020

( Links to 26 Emails , starting 01 Apr 2014 )

Ø How about “ Sandbox for Mobile Voting “ ? .. 27 Nov 2020

Ø Vote from “ Workplace” ? How about from “ Any place “ ?.. 22 Dec 2020

Ø Lost Votes : Congrats to Best Tech Minds.. ……29 Jan 2021

Ø Birth of a baby named VotesApp ?.. ……………….10 Oct 2021

Ø My 37 blogs on “ One Nation, One Election “(till 02 Sept 2023 )

Ø ===============================================

Comments by ChatGPT :

Your proposed solution, Electronic Audit Trail (EAT), as an alternative to VVPAT

(Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) for conducting elections using EVMs (Electronic

Voting Machines), presents an interesting concept with several potential benefits.

Let's assess its technical feasibility and the advantages you've outlined:

Technical Feasibility:

1. Modification of VVPAT machine:

Modifying the existing VVPAT machine to include a Bluetooth-enabled

electronic device seems feasible from a technical standpoint. It involves

replacing the paper mechanism with an electronic one and integrating

Bluetooth functionality.

2. Transmitting data to EAT:

The mechanism of transmitting the voter's choice data from the EVM to the

EAT device via Bluetooth should be technically achievable. It would involve

secure data transmission protocols to ensure the integrity and confidentiality

of the transmitted data.

3. Transmission to voter's mobile and central server:

Transmitting the data to both the voter's mobile phone and the central server

of the Election Commission would require robust network connectivity and

encryption protocols to safeguard the data during transmission.

4. Erasing data after vote casting:

Implementing a mechanism to automatically erase the data from the EAT

device after the voter removes their mobile phone would require careful

design and testing to ensure reliability and security.

Overall, while the technical implementation of EAT presents challenges,

they appear to be surmountable with careful design and testing.

Benefits of EAT:

1. Guaranteed 100% voter audit:

EAT offers a solution for comprehensive voter audit without increasing the

workload of the Election Commission. The absence of paper eliminates the

need for manual verification, potentially streamlining the auditing process.

2. Dynamic updating of voting trends:

The real-time updating of voting data on the Election Commission's website

could enhance transparency and public engagement with the electoral process.

It allows for monitoring of voting trends without revealing individual voter

choices.

3. Real-time election results:

By continuously updating voting data in real-time, EAT could expedite the

announcement of election results, potentially eliminating the need for manual

counting and aggregation of data from EVMs.

Overall, the benefits you've outlined suggest that EAT has the

potential to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accuracy of the

electoral process.

In conclusion, your proposal for EAT presents an innovative

approach to address some of the challenges associated with VVPAT and EVMs.

While it would require thorough technical development and testing, the

potential benefits it offers could make it a promising solution for future

elections.

Sunday, 17 March 2024

Thank You, Shri Rajiv Kumar

( Chief Election Commissioner / cec@eci.gov.in )

What for ?

For implementing my suggestion

What suggestion ?

Enabling voters to access all information about election candidates through a Mobile App , “ Know Your Candidate- KYC “

When did you make that suggestion ?

About 11 years ago ( - and repeated some 7 years ago ) through following E mails :

VotesApp…. …………. 18 Dec 2012

Extract :

Upon selection, user will be presented with the list of candidates contesting , from which , he can select only one by ticking a checkbox. There will be also a choice , labeled “ None “

A long press on a candidate’s name will display details of his declared assets as also his criminal record

After ticking / selecting a candidate, voter will click on “ VOTE “ button, whereupon his vote gets registered and VotesApp gets inactivated

Filtering Candidate Information ?... ………………………….18 Sept 2016

Extract :

Would voters be enthused to come forward to vote , if

# Latest info about ALL of those candidates was available at finger-tips on

his Mobile ( authenticated by Election Commission ), eliminating hours of

" searching " on the Net and hours of " filtering "

# That info would comprise,

* Affidavit filed by the Candidates

* Police Record including cases filed / pending / disposed off , against the

candidates

* Past political history ( no of political parties changed )

* Director-ship ( direct / indirect ) in private businesses and NPA of those

businesses

* Results of open Surveys on " ROMP - RecallOur Member of Parliament "

* Whether the candidate has accepted to implement the " Charter of

Demand " ( if elected ) , submitted and uploaded by the Voters of his

Constituency on the web site of the Election Commission

# He can vote directly from his Mobile , without having to go to a Polling Booth

and spend 4 hours

# He can take 5 minutes to cast his vote, sitting in his bedroom , without holding

up other voters in the queue

# He can vote at any time of the voting day and from any place on the earth !

Candidates / Spouses / Kids : Assets ? …………………………. 16 Feb 2018

Extract :

Dear Hon Supreme Court :

There is no need for “ setting up a permanent mechanism to keep tabs on and probe the assets of law-makers and their immediate families “

All that is required is to add one more field in the Income Tax Form ( revised one introduced in 2016 ) , which says :

“ If either yourself or any member of your near family ( spouse / children / son-in-law / daughter-in-law ) have held any position in Parliament or State Legislature or Municipal Corporation , at any time during past 5 years , provide full details below :…………………. “

Oh , great ! Where did you learn that Election Commissioner has implemented your suggestion ?

Here is a news report which appeared yesterday :

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC rolls out KYC app to help you know your candidate .. 17 March 2024

Extract :

It's the season of KYC - be it the financial front or the poll turf. At a time when the Reserve Bank of India keeps a hawk eye on KYC compliance by fintech firms, the Election Commission has rolled out another form of KYC - to Know Your Candidate - ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The Know Your Candidate (KYC) mobile application allows a voter to check if a candidate standing for elections in her constituency has a criminal record. The app is available to both Android and iOS users.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced the launch of this app as part his announcement of the poll schedule in New Delhi on March 16. He stressed on the importance of voters getting to know their candidates at more than just the surface level.

"We have come up with this mobile application to enable voters to find out if a candidate, who is bidding to represent them in the Lok Sabha, has a criminal background," he said.

This move aims to increase transparency and accountability in the electoral process, ensuring that voters have access to comprehensive information about candidates before casting their votes.

The app allows voters to find out if there's any records of crime against a candidate, and also know his or her assets and liabilities. Candidates are required to disclose their criminal records in newspapers and on television three times and the parties nominating such candidates must justify their selection over other deserving candidates.

"The voters can also now check for themselves the assets and liabilities that candidates with criminal antecedents hold. All relevant information in this regard will be made available on this application," Kumar said.

"The parties giving tickets to such tainted candidates have to explain why they chose them over other, more deserving, claimants. They have to clearly state the basis of selection of a candidate with a criminal background," he added.

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai / 18 March 2024