Why the lukewarm response to e-voting in Gujarat?

Analyzing the many reasons for the very poor response to the e-voting registration, despite the deadline for the same being extended twice, sources in the state secretariat said that it is both political and administrative.

"Since the day the e-voting announcement was made, the Congress has not been in favour of the initiative. Even in the BJP, other than chief minister and council of ministers, no party worker is ready to support e-voting and influence people to get registered," said the source.

The source said this is because party workers at the grass-root (booth) level feel that e-voting will disconnect them from having live contact with the voters.

Talking about the administrative reasons for the failure of e-voting, an official in the state urban development department said that apart from political parties, officers and others working in all the six municipal corporations, where the pilot project for e-voting will be carried out, did not show any enthusiasm to propagate the new idea.

"The officers did not show much enthusiasm and did not ensure that the forms that were distributed were duly submitted," said the official.

Looking at the number of registered voters, it can be said that despite a BJP government in the state, the BJP - as a political party did not respond to the state government's prestigious and ambitious project of e-voting in the local bodies elections.