The Election Commission of Nepal is planning to embrace digitalization by introducing internet voting to enhance the election process in the country.
During a program focused on voting technology and ICT, Chief Election Commissioner Man Bahadur Karki announced their readiness to implement internet voting.
The Election Commission hosted a presentation and technical interaction on internet voting technology and its potential in Nepal on Tuesday.
Cybersecurity and Technical Readiness
Man Bahadur Karki emphasized the need for thorough preparations regarding technology, institutional capacity, and cybersecurity before implementing the system.
He stated that a proper coordination mechanism must be established at the central level and beyond prior to the introduction of internet voting.
Election Commissioner Dr. Rajiv Subba noted that assessing the information technology skills, manpower, and technical capabilities of the Election Commission and other agencies is essential before moving forward with internet voting.
He explained that internet voting will require collaboration among various agencies and expertise in cybersecurity, system development, infrastructure, data exchange, voter authentication, and digital identification.
Digital Identity and Voter Authentication
Dr. Subba mentioned that mapping technical resources and institutional capabilities will be crucial to building a solid foundation for internet voting in Nepal.
The Election Commission’s decision to explore internet voting comes after proposals to allow Nepalis to vote from constituencies different from their registered ones. Previously, options like postal voting, representative voting, and internet voting have been considered. However, the introduction of online voting will follow a gradual approach.
While voters will have the option to vote from their preferred constituencies using postal ballots, internet voting will also be introduced.
This initiative reflects the Election Commission’s commitment to digitizing the election process, while also addressing challenges related to voter authentication, ballot security, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and institutional capacity.