The Election Commission of India (ECI) has put forth a proposal for a Remote EVM (R-EVM) system aimed at facilitating voting for domestic migrants. A recent survey conducted among slum-dwelling migrants in Delhi sought to gauge their trust in this innovative voting system.
The survey revealed that a significant proportion of migrants residing in Delhi hail from Uttar Pradesh (48%), followed by Bihar (22%), West Bengal (8%), and Rajasthan (7%). The primary factors driving migration include employment opportunities, which accounted for 58%, and family-related reasons, comprising 18%.
Approximately 61% of the migrants have lived in Delhi for over five years, while 9% are relatively new, having resided in the city for less than a year. Notably, regional variations were observed, with a higher percentage of recent migrants coming from Bihar (14%).
In terms of voter registration, around 53% of migrants reported being registered as voters in Delhi, while 27% were registered in their home states. Additionally, 9% of respondents indicated they were registered in both their home states and Delhi.
When it comes to voting behavior, migrants showed a higher tendency to participate in national and state-level elections compared to local elections. Migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh maintained strong ties to the political frameworks of their home states.
Among those who returned to their home states to vote, 40% cited the exercise of their fundamental right to vote as their primary motivation, reflecting a strong awareness of their democratic rights.
Overall, the survey found that 47% of respondents expressed a tendency to trust the proposed remote voting system, whereas 31% indicated distrust. Gender disparities were evident, with men exhibiting greater trust (50%) compared to women (40%). Furthermore, trust levels increased with higher educational attainment.
Trust in the remote voting system varied by state, with West Bengal migrants showing the highest levels of trust at 53%, followed by Uttar Pradesh (50%) and Rajasthan (49%). In contrast, migrants from Bihar displayed the lowest trust at 41%.
The proposed R-EVM system has elicited mixed reactions from Delhi's migrant population, revealing varying levels of trust and concern. While many migrants expressed confidence in the system, a notable segment remained skeptical about its effectiveness. Educational background played a significant role in shaping the respondents' views, with those possessing higher education displaying greater trust. Additionally, regional differences also impacted trust levels. Despite the promising advantages of remote voting, the ECI encountered resistance from political parties, underscoring the necessity for comprehensive discussions on this subject. It is evident that technology alone cannot resolve all voting-related issues; fostering education and civic engagement is equally vital for enhancing democratic participation.
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