Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi may be anathema to his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar but the latter’s state is set to go the former’s way and introduce a hi-tech voting facility.

Bihar State Election Commission is planning to introduce e-voting in the state soon.

It would soon constitute a team of experts to develop the required software and technology to initiate the facility. Teams would also be sent to Gujarat and Maharashtra to study the use of this technology.

“Gujarat is the only state where e-voting technique has been used successfully in the civic polls in 2010 and 2012. Attempts are being made to implement the technology in Maharashtra. The hi-tech facility helps voters exercise their franchisee without much trouble. So we plan to introduce it in Bihar as well,” Bihar joint election commissioner Ahibhushan Pandey told The Telegraph.

E-voting was first used in Gujarat on October 10, 2010, during elections to six civic bodies.

Once introduced in Bihar, voters would not have to queue up at polling centres anymore. They would be issued electronic voter cards, which they would be able to swipe at the nearest e-voting kiosks. They would also be able exercise their democratic right from their homes through cellphone or the Internet.

Explaining the process through which voters would be able to use the facility, Pandey said: “The e-voting card issued to the electorate would have an electronic chip. They would also be given a secret number. Voters would be able to cast their votes by visiting e-voting kiosks, which would be similar to automatic teller machine kiosks. These would be developed at public places like railway stations, bus stands and community buildings. After they swipe their cards, voters would have to key in their secret number. Then they would be able to choose their favourite candidate.”

Pandey said: “The state election commission will send its team to Gujarat and Maharashtra in a month to study the technique being used there. The team members would also study the cost component.”

Sources said the Gujarat election commission had spent around Rs 34 crore to develop the hi-tech facility. Of this, Rs 15 crore was spent on the development of data centres and the required software.

Sources said the state election commission would utilise the existing resources provided by the state government for expenditure on conducting the trial phase of the proposed e-voting system in the state. The commission would also be required to contact software companies to develop the required facility.

Pandey said after the research, the election commission would require the approval of the state government, along with amendments to the Municipal Act, to implement the facility.