<p>The Election Commission has decided not to pursue its proposed tie-up with internet giant Google after concerns over national security were raised from several quarters, including major parties.<br /><br /></p>.<p>US-based Google had earlier this week made a formal presentation to the Election Commission proposing a tie-up with it for voter facilitation services ahead of Lok Sabha elections.<br /><br />The Commission, in its meeting here today which was attended by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi, deliberated on the issue and decided not to go ahead.<br /><br />"After due consideration, the Commission has decided not to pursue it any further," said an EC official.<br /><br />The EC said Google had proposed to provide electoral look up services for citizens to help in Commission's efforts for better electoral information services.<br /><br />The Commission had earlier signed a non-disclosure agreement with Google but had not shared or handed over any data to the internet giant so far and was deliberating on the tie-up with it for using its search engines for voter facilitation.<br /><br />Congress and BJP besides some cyberspace experts had voiced concers over the proposed tie-up, saying stakeholders should have been consulted before a decision.<br /><br />The Congress legal cell has written to the Chief Election Commissioner raising security concerns over the proposed tie- up and hoped it will not have any effect on the electoral process and national security.<br /><br />BJP also expressed concerns and said the issue could have been discussed first at an all-party meeting by EC.<br /><br />Questioning the EC's move, a group of cyber security experts had written to the panel amid concerns over sharing of vital data pertaining to Indians to a foreign company.<br /><br />The concerns also come at a time when eyebrows have been raised over leaking of vital data of Indians to United States intelligence agencies as exposed by Edward Snowden. </p>
<p>The Election Commission has decided not to pursue its proposed tie-up with internet giant Google after concerns over national security were raised from several quarters, including major parties.<br /><br /></p>.<p>US-based Google had earlier this week made a formal presentation to the Election Commission proposing a tie-up with it for voter facilitation services ahead of Lok Sabha elections.<br /><br />The Commission, in its meeting here today which was attended by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi, deliberated on the issue and decided not to go ahead.<br /><br />"After due consideration, the Commission has decided not to pursue it any further," said an EC official.<br /><br />The EC said Google had proposed to provide electoral look up services for citizens to help in Commission's efforts for better electoral information services.<br /><br />The Commission had earlier signed a non-disclosure agreement with Google but had not shared or handed over any data to the internet giant so far and was deliberating on the tie-up with it for using its search engines for voter facilitation.<br /><br />Congress and BJP besides some cyberspace experts had voiced concers over the proposed tie-up, saying stakeholders should have been consulted before a decision.<br /><br />The Congress legal cell has written to the Chief Election Commissioner raising security concerns over the proposed tie- up and hoped it will not have any effect on the electoral process and national security.<br /><br />BJP also expressed concerns and said the issue could have been discussed first at an all-party meeting by EC.<br /><br />Questioning the EC's move, a group of cyber security experts had written to the panel amid concerns over sharing of vital data pertaining to Indians to a foreign company.<br /><br />The concerns also come at a time when eyebrows have been raised over leaking of vital data of Indians to United States intelligence agencies as exposed by Edward Snowden. </p>