Published Paper Details:

Nationally and internationally there have been several attempts at the adoption of modern technologies in elections. This had a profound effect on the very administration of democracy per se. While some countries have wholeheartedly adopted modern technologies in elections, such as India, Estonia, New Zealand etc., others have regressed and reverted to more traditional forms of paper balloting, such as the Netherlands. There are obviously arguments, both favouring and opposing, the large-scale adoption of modern technology in elections, with strong advocates on both sides. However, there is a paucity of literature sufficiently documenting these arguments, particularly from the Indian perspective. Instead, the current discourse on electronic voting and counting technologies is scattered with various terms and phrases � electronic voting machines, e-voting, e-enabled elections, remote voting, precinct count optical scanning, etc. Lost in all the technological jargon is the realisation that it is not merely technology but also the critical legal framework that provides the foundation upon which any technological advances in the field of elections must necessarily be constructed. As such, an evaluation of the laws and jurisprudence pertaining to election related technologies is necessary. Furthermore, in order to develop a holistic perspective, it is equally necessary to evaluate the experiences of other democracies in a similar light. With the adoption of electronic voting machines EVM�s and the introduction of VVPAT in India, the pathway to full digitalisation of parliamentary elections has opened up making progress in this direction not only possible but desirable and inevitable. However, there is a palpable dearth of literature, comparative analyses, law reviews and technological assessments in this regard. This necessitates stock-taking exercise and review of the experiences, technologies and laws pertaining to digital elections both in India and abroad. This research paper makes an attempt at such an appraisal.