Bihar has made history by becoming the first state in India to enable voters to cast their ballots through a mobile app, marking a significant step forward in the country's electoral process. This pilot project, implemented during six nagar panchayats and municipal bypolls, is specifically designed for voters who face challenges in reaching polling booths, such as the elderly, disabled, pregnant women, and migrants.
It is pertinent to mention that the e-voting app has been launched just months ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. However, it was not mentioned whether this facility would be available during the upcoming Assembly election due in October-November 2025.
How to register for e-voting?
Bihar's State Election Commission has outlined a step-by-step process for voters interested in casting their ballot via mobile:
- Download the e-SECBHR app (currently available only for Android devices).
- Link the app to your mobile number as registered in the electoral roll.
- Once verified, you can cast a vote using the e-SECBHR app on the election day or the Bihar Election Commission's official website.
How can the app prevent tampering?
- Only two registered voters can log in from a single mobile number.
- Verification of each voter is being done by entering the voter's ID number.
What are other security measures?
- Use of blockchain technology to record votes in a secure, immutable system
- Facial recognition and matching assist features for the verification of voter identities at the time of login and voting.
- Digital scanning and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) will assist in accurately counting votes.
- Audit trails, which are similar to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in EVMs, help to track and verify each vote cast.
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