Estonian online poll, a world first

Perhaps India could take a cue from this- the tiny Baltic
nation of Estonia, whose parliament once declared Internet access a basic human
right, has become the first country in the world to allow voters in a general
election to cast their ballots online.

More than 30,000 people had voted via the Internet by using
their state-issued digital ID cards, which are swiped on readers and can be
bought for about 4 (£2.70) and input two passwords, according The Guardian
reports.

Estonia says security issues are dealt with by the use of
microchip cards and by allowing multiple votes, each canceling out the previous
one.

The vote was a sign of progress since the nation of 1.3 mn split
from the Soviet Union in 1991, when half the population had no telephone. The
capital, Tallinn, has more free wireless Internet hotspots per head than almost
any other city. Cabinet meetings are held online and most people bank on the
Internet.

Online voting has been tested in local elections in the UK and
Ireland, but security concerns have prevented wider use.

Compiled by Stuti Das

stutid@cybermedia.co.in