Biometric voting

Biometric technology is used in all government organisations, schools, telecom companies, and banks. Biometric verification is made on wireless devices. All Pakistanis have to go through biometric verification to obtain a mobile Sim or open a bank account or to get their passports made. So why do we not have biometric verification for voting during general elections? With a biometric verification mechanism, the voter will verify their NIC and fingerprint to become eligible to vote. Once eligible, a printer will print out a receipt and a ballot paper, with both having a vote number and secret barcode.

The barcode will help the ECP machine to verify the votes during counting. The voter will keep the receipt as proof of vote and cast his/her ballot in the voting box. If the ECP uses such a mechanism then the cost of general elections will also be reduced because the ECP can simply use the facilities of biometric verification that are already available in the country. And voters can simply walk into the designated banks or telecom company shops to cast their vote at ease.

Engr Shahryar Khan Baseer

Islamabad