KTR seeks online voting through national debate

Conspicuously peeved at the poor voter turnout of just 45 per cent in the civic polls, Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj K T Rama Rao today vouched for a national-level debate on the need for online voting. KTR proudly stated that the infant State of Telangana set a record of sorts through its PSC by conducting online examinations for 30,000 candidates simultaneously. However, KTR unequivocally said despite the availability of the latest technologies, the civic polls in Hyderabad saw a poor turnout of voters.

The minister was addressing at a national-level Public Service Commissions’ 18th Conference at Pragathi Resorts here, that was ought to be addressed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The event is expected to come out with suitable recommendations for hassle-free conduct of examinations and probably replicating TSPSC to conduct exams online for recruiting posts of groups and other categories and implication of latest technologies for transparency.

The IT minister said despite their efforts, out of



about 74 lakh voters in the GHMC purview, only 45 per cent of people i.e. 33 lakh people cast their votes. He stressed the need to overcome from such problems and improve voting percentage in future. “Since everyone was using latest apps, technologies and gadgets, we are still lagging behind in the use of online facility, which must be replicated in the voting process”, he felt. The minister asserted that a national level debate should be taken up on the need for online voting in the elections either it is general or that of civic polls.

KTR said that a team of delegates will visit T-Hub and other selected IT companies. Service Commissions Chairmen will be taken to a field level visit of the IT companies and T-Hub in the city. UPSC Chairman Dipak Gupta, who attended the conference, stated that transparent exams should be conducted with reforms to select the best and talented candidates for the top posts to offer the best services.

TSPSC Chairman Prof. Ghanta Chakrapani, during his welcome address, said the youngest state Telangana has got its own PSC in just six months and conducted online exams in a transparent way. Himachal Pradesh PSC chairman Tomar said new members of the UPSC need training and a two-day workshop will be held in Delhi on Feb 23 and 24.