Polygon Supports Bihar in Pioneering India’s First Blockchain Voting Pilot | Credit: Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images.
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Key Takeaways
The Indian state of Bihar successfully conducted the first mobile-based e-voting.
The e-voting was facilitated with the help of the Polygon blockchain.
The mobile-based voting saw nearly a 70% turnaround.
In a historic move, Bihar became the first Indian state to conduct mobile-based e-voting successfully using Polygon blockchain.
During the recently concluded municipal elections across 42 municipalities in 26 districts, including six nagar panchayats and 36 wards for vacant posts, the pilot was open for a small set of people.
The Indian state of Bihar turned its municipal by-elections on-chain with the help of Polygon.
The e-voting system was accessible to about 51,157 registered voters, and the mobile platform indicated a turnout of 69.49% to 70.2%.
Two mobile applications were available for voters to cast their votes. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) created the e-Voting SECBHR app, while the Bihar State Election Commission created another app to help voters.
Bihar successfully conducts mobile e-voting. Source: X
The app used key facial recognition and biometric data on Polygon to verify user identity and avoid duplicate votes.
Polygon ensured votes were securely recorded and immutable, aligning with global standards like those in Estonia, the first country to implement online voting in 2005.
Aishwary Gupta, Global Head – Payments & RWA at Polygon, told CCN that the system in Bihar used a private chain called Doc Chain built by Print2Block for internal processes, but anchors the final vote proofs to the Polygon public blockchain.
“This makes the outcome transparent, tamper-proof, and publicly verifiable. It is a strong example of how public and private chains can work together to solve real-world challenges. This is a proud moment for all of us at Polygon and a meaningful step forward for digital democracy. “
The e-voting system was created to facilitate voting for migratory workers, older adults, people with physical disabilities, those with significant diseases, and pregnant women.
India is Big on Blockchain But Not So Much on Crypto
This won’t be the first government initiative using blockchain technology. The Indian government has partnered with Polygon to issue non-fungible token-based railway tickets for special occasions.
Nearly a dozen other Indian states have also greenlighted various blockchain pilots:
Telangana: Blockchain District, public distribution, agriculture, vehicle registration
Maharashtra: Blockchain Sandbox, Carbon Bank
West Bengal: NFT-based land mutation
Tamil Nadu: Nambikkai Inaiyam (blockchain backbone)
Uttar Pradesh: Public grievance system, land title management
Prashant Jha is a seasoned crypto journalist based in Delhi, India, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science Engineering. Passionate about the evolving world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, he has been a dedicated voice in the industry since 2018. Prashant’s expertise lies in regulatory reporting, where he unravels complex legal and financial developments with clarity and precision. Before joining CCN in 2024, he honed his craft at Cointelegraph, establishing himself as a trusted name in crypto journalism.
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