ECI Strengthens Electrocal Measures
Recognising political parties as crucial stakeholders, ECI has actively engaged with them at the grassroots level, organising nearly 5,000 all-party meetings across various administrative levels. Additionally, legal frameworks governing objections and appeals have been reinforced to ensure transparency in electoral roll corrections, with only 89 first appeals and a single second appeal recorded so far.
The Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to the 100 crore electors who form the backbone of Indian democracy. Technical consultations between ECI and UIDAI will soon commence to eliminate duplicate EPIC numbers, resolving a long-standing issue within three months. Voter list updates will be strengthened through collaboration with birth and death registration authorities, ensuring accuracy and inclusivity.
To further enhance accessibility and voter convenience, ECI is working to cap the number of electors per polling station at 1,200 while ensuring no polling station is more than two kilometres away from voters, even in remote areas. Urban voting apathy will be addressed by setting up polling stations within high-rise residential complexes and colonies.
In a major push towards continuous capacity building, ECI recently held a two-day conference in New Delhi, bringing together Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from all States and Union Territories. For the first time, District Election Officers (DEOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) also participated. This initiative aligns 28 key stakeholders with their responsibilities as per constitutional and electoral guidelines. Training materials, including digital kits in multiple Indian languages, animated videos, and integrated dashboards, will be introduced for enhanced learning and effectiveness.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar has further directed all 36 CEOs, 788 DEOs, and 4,123 EROs to hold regular interactions with political parties. This initiative, scheduled for completion by 31st March 2025, aims to address concerns at the grassroots level. The Commission has also extended an invitation to political parties to submit their suggestions on electoral matters by 30th April 2025 and to engage in direct discussions in Delhi.