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Fw: more on : India announces election dates
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2004 18:32:30 -0400
-----Original Message----- From: Aditya <aditya () grot org> Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2004 17:28:51 To:dave () farber net Subject: Re: more on : India announces election dates Dave, for IP if you wish,
-----Original Message----- From: Steve Cohen <stevecoh1 () comcast net> Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 11:50:40 To:dave () farber net Subject: Re: [IP] BBC E-mail: India announces election dates Not a word there about which electronic technologies they are using, and how any of the issues that have surfaced here in regard to audit trails, etc. are being handled in India. From the picture shown, it appears that they are using some sort of special device, certainly not a touch screen.
Given the traditional, widespread prevalence of paper-ballot box stuffing and bribery of both the (mostly illiterate) electorate and election officials, electronic voting has been seen as a major step forward in Indian voting elections. Ballots in India typically include many, many parties all listed with not just a name in 2 languages but also the party symbol. The sheer magnitude of the problem is somewhat described here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3493474.stm unfortunately, many of the same issues that plague voting machines in the US affect those in India, however those concerns are seen as secondary. There is comfort taken in the fact that it is a new technology and unlikely to be bested by the violent thugs who have hitherto manipulated paper ballot elections. Giving each voter a paper receipt is seen as expensive _and_ risky, as it might be used to ensure an intimidated voter follows heavy-handed instructions. The anonymity of the vote is felt to be the more pressing matter than potential voting-machine rigging. There is some not-so-backed-up info about the voting machine at: http://www.eci.gov.in particularly: http://www.eci.gov.in/EVM/EVM_2.htm http://www.eci.gov.in/EVM/EVM_12.htm ("Can it be tampered with or rigged?") "it is tamper-proof and error-free" suggests a cursory, hand-waving reassurance that is likely to wow the less-than-skeptical electorate, much like the marketing campaigns here. No doubt it would be a good system/machine to be tested by an indpendent group, but given the non-transparency of the Govt in general, it is unlikely that such a test would be carried out without strong Public-Interest Litigation being mounted in the courts. I would welcome more information on this subject. Thanks, Adi ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- Fw: more on : India announces election dates Dave Farber (Mar 01)