By all indications, automated elections seems to be fast gaining momentum in the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Recently, the Himalayan country had brought together stakeholders to a forum to discuss “Voting Technologies as Key Component of Transparent Elections.”
The well-attended event was organized by the International Center for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) and was headlined by Commissioner Neil Kantha Uprety, chief of Nepal’s election commission; Zurab Kharatishvili, electoral specialist and former chairman of the central election commission of Georgia; and Cesar Flores, President of Smartmatic Asia Pacific.
Commissioner Uprety delivered the opening address and was followed by a talk on “Opportunities and Practices in Using Technologies in the Election Cycle” by Mr. Kharatishvili.
Nepal is the latest country that is seeking to learn from the experience of the Philippines, where the success of electronic voting led to an all-time high in the credibility rating of the country’s Commission on Elections.
The impetus for an automated elections came about with the increasing clamor from Nepalese voters as well as the international community for more transparent elections, following decades of unrest that has resulted from fraud-tainted polls. In response, the Election Commission has set off the process of looking into possible eVoting solutions that suit the requirements of the country.
The ICPS is a non-government organization that seeks to promote effective policy making and good governance through better interaction between Parliaments, Governments and other stakeholders in society. It carries out a substantial amount of work to support those involved in managing electoral processes across the world, providing a range of different services such as consultancy, research, high-level networking, and training.
