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<article article-type="Research Article">
  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">journal-of-information-and-optimization-sciences</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Journal of Information and Optimization Sciences</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn publication-format="electronic">2169-0103</issn>
      <issn publication-format="print">0252-2667</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Taru Publications</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.47974/JIOS-2117</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>TrustChain -  A secure digital voting framework</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Chand</surname>
            <given-names>Nameesha</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Information Technology, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 110006, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Indra</surname>
            <given-names>Gaurav</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Information Technology, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 110006, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
          <name>
            <surname>Wary</surname>
            <given-names>Alongbar</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Information Technology, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 110006, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Nayan</surname>
            <given-names>Shiksha</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Information Technology, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 110006, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Jatrana</surname>
            <given-names>Bhavya</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Information Technology, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, 110006, India</aff>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <volume>47</volume>
      <issue>2</issue>
      <fpage>645</fpage>
      <lpage>672</lpage>
      <pub-date date-type="pub">
        <day>07</day>
        <month>01</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <abstract>
        <p>Electronic voting has several advantages in terms of accessibility, effectiveness, and security, it is nevertheless susceptible to ballot tampering, impersonation, and multiple voting. The main difficulty is striking a balance between voter anonymity and transparency. Blockchain based systems improve verifiability and trust, but they frequently jeopardize privacy. To overcome these limitations we propose TrustChain, a blockchain based system that combines a Merkle Root based Tracking ID, a multi-chain Ethereum architecture, and real time facial recognition in order to get around these restrictions. Ethereum guarantees immutability and tamper resistance, while a lightweight Firebase pseudo blockchain handles registration and authentication, allowing for scalable and effective verification. Performance is enhanced by this decoupled design without compromising privacy or security. Candidate specific chains reduce congestion while guaranteeing tamper proof recording, tracking IDs maintain vote integrity without disclosing identities, and facial recognition restrict illegitimate access. Tests show a 45% faster voting process, while maintaining strong security and privacy. </p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>Electronic voting</kwd>
        <kwd>Blockchain technology</kwd>
        <kwd>Facial recognition</kwd>
        <kwd>Tracking ID mechanism</kwd>
        <kwd>Merkle root hash</kwd>
        <kwd>Two-tier architecture</kwd>
        <kwd>Ethereum smart contracts</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <custom-meta-group>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>access</meta-name>
          <meta-value>open</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>retracted</meta-name>
          <meta-value>no</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
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    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
