After EVMs, Consideration of Elections through paperless booths

Panchayat and Urban Body Elections are the laboratory of democracy: State Election Commissioner Shri Shrivastava
National Conference of State Election Commissioners held in Pench District Seoni

After EVM in Panchayat and Urban Body elections, now the idea of ​​paperless booth is being given shape. Elections in Panchayat by-elections have been successfully conducted through paperless booths. State Election Commissioner of Madhya Pradesh Shri Manoj Shrivastava said this in the 31st National Conference of the State Election Commission. The conference has been organized in Pench District Seoni.

The State Election Commissioner said that the Panchayat and Urban Body elections conducted by the State Election Commission are the laboratory and testing ground of democracy. It is the experience of India along with the whole world that whenever any important experiments related to elections take place, they first take place in local elections. When the idea of ​​reservation for women in representative institutions came up, it was first implemented in panchayats and local bodies. In Madhya Pradesh, first 33 percent and later 50 percent reservation was given to women in the bodies. It has not yet been accepted at the senior levels as much as it was in the so-called backward rural areas.

State Election Commissioner Shri Manoj Shrivastava said that three-tier Panchayat and urban body elections are the foundation of democracy. It is the responsibility of all of us to conduct these elections with complete fairness and transparency. Through these elections, citizens directly become participants in the process of governance and decision making. While discussing online voting, he said that this experiment has been done for the first time in Estonia. Shri Shrivastava said that in view of the rapid changes taking place in technology, it is necessary that we keep changing the process to maintain the credibility of the election system.

EVM sharing

State Election Commissioner Shri Shrivastava said that EVM sharing should be done between the states with the aim of reducing election expenses. He said that in the conference, the State Election Commissioners will share the innovations done in their states. This will enable their implementation in other states as well. The conference was chaired by Assam State Election Commissioner Shri Alok Kumar. During this, the book Ex-Change@Ex-Perience Initiative-2025, written by incorporating the innovations of various State Election Commissions, was released.

Integrated Polling Booth Management System

Secretary of Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission Shri Abhishek Singh gave a presentation on the action plan to adopt paperless booth system and integrated polling booth management system in the election process of local bodies. He said that adopting digital tools in the paperless booth system will simplify the local election process. All documentation will be digital and the possibility of human error will also be reduced. He said that the use of digital tools will reduce the number of staff involved in the elections and the election expenses will also be reduced.

A presentation was given on the automated local body election process by Smt. Neelam Sahni, Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh Election Commission. Highlighting the automation process of electoral roll management, poll management, she discussed the problems and possibilities of improvement with other commissioners. Commissioners of various State Election Commissions gave important suggestions regarding improvement in the election process.

Lakhnadon SDM Shri Ravi Sihag and Assistant Collector Shri Pankaj Verma gave presentations on “Global Best Practices” and adoption of new technologies for convenient election process. Also, a film based on the local election process in the state was screened by the State Election Commission Tripura. Collector Seoni Sushri Sanskriti Jain expressed gratitude at the conclusion of the first session. Subject experts will also give presentations on various topics in the conference on March 3 and 4.