Why in news?
The topic of machine‑readable electoral rolls arose after the Election Commission halted the provision of such rolls to political parties and candidates. This decision prompted questions about their purpose, privacy concerns and future use.
What are machine‑readable rolls?
A machine‑readable electoral roll is an electronic version of the voter list with structured data. Information is stored in formats like XML or CSV and can be scanned by software to verify voters quickly. The rolls may include QR codes or barcodes to reduce human error during polling.
Why did the Election Commission stop providing them?
- Misuse fears: There were reports that some political parties were using the data to profile voters beyond the permitted purpose of electioneering, raising privacy issues.
- Data security: Storing personal information electronically increases the risk of hacking and unauthorised sharing.
- Legal clarity: Existing laws do not clearly specify who can access machine‑readable rolls and how the data should be protected.
Way ahead
The Election Commission is exploring ways to provide secure digital rolls to poll workers while safeguarding voter privacy. Possible measures include masking sensitive details, adding audit trails and obtaining explicit consent from voters. In the meantime, printed and password‑protected digital copies are being used at polling stations to ensure authenticity.