Blockchain for Transparent Governance: An Interdisciplinary Review of Technological, Legal, and Administrative Implications

Blockchain technology is increasingly being recognized as a transformative tool for enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in governance systems. This interdisciplinary research paper explores how blockchain can be integrated into governmental frameworks, assessing its technological capabilities, legal readiness, and administrative adaptability. The study examines the extent to which blockchain is currently utilized in public services, evaluates stakeholder perceptions, and identifies legal and institutional barriers to its broader adoption. Through a structured survey conducted among legal experts and administrative officers, the study investigates five core areas: current usage, perceived transparency benefits, legal preparedness, administrative training, and support for future implementation. While 82% of legal experts and 78% of administrative officers agree that blockchain can significantly enhance transparency, only 60% and 45%, respectively, confirmed active use in their domains. The data highlights that despite a shared belief in blockchain’s potential, actual deployment remains limited and uneven. Legal experts cited significant gaps in regulatory clarity, particularly around data privacy, contract enforcement, and liability frameworks. Administrative officers emphasized a lack of training and institutional inertia as major obstacles to implementation. Only 40% of legal experts and 35% of administrative officers acknowledged any formal training being offered in their departments. However, there was overwhelming support—90% and 85%, respectively—for expanding blockchain integration into governance processes. The case study contrasts Estonia’s blockchain-driven e-Governance model with India’s pilot projects, revealing a stark difference in scale, coordination, and legislative support. Estonia’s unified architecture and legislative alignment have enabled seamless digital governance, while India's initiatives, although promising, remain fragmented and experimental. This paper argues that for blockchain to move from experimental to essential in governance, it must be embedded in a supportive legal framework, backed by executive training, and coordinated across departments. The findings contribute to the discourse on digital governance by providing empirical insights into interdisciplinary readiness and by recommending strategic actions for broader, ethical, and impactful blockchain deployment in public administration.