In a sweeping effort to enhance transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity in Indian elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced 28 significant initiatives in the past six months. These reforms span technology integration, voter facilitation, system cleanup, and capacity building, solidifying ECI’s mission to uphold a free, fair, and inclusive electoral democracy.
Six Pillars of Reform
The initiatives rest on six foundational pillars,
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Electoral System Cleanup
- Technology Integration
- Electoral Roll Purification
- Ease of Voting
- Capacity Building
Each pillar contributes to reinforcing voter trust, administrative efficiency, and institutional accountability.
Key Highlights of the 28 Reforms
1. Stakeholder Engagement
- Over 4,700 all-party meetings conducted nationwide.
- More than 28,000 party representatives engaged.
- 20 high-level meetings with national/state party leadership to gather feedback and build consensus.
2. Electoral System Cleanup
- Delisting of inactive political parties to remove non-functional entities from official rolls.
- Introduction of photo identity cards for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to ensure transparency.
- Enhanced EVM verification protocols, including microcontroller verification and security procedures.
3. Technology Integration
- Launch of ECINET, a unified digital platform consolidating 40+ voter and election-related applications.
- 100% webcasting from polling stations to enable real-time monitoring.
- Real-time voter turnout updates accessible to the public and political parties.
- Compulsory VVPAT slip count in case of data mismatch, ensuring auditability and trust.
4. Purification of Electoral Rolls
- Special revisions in Bihar and four other states ahead of by-elections.
- Integration of voter rolls with death registration databases for real-time deletion of deceased voters.
- Removal of duplicate EPIC numbers to prevent voter fraud.
- SMS alerts now inform citizens of voter ID processing, ensuring delivery within 15 days.
5. Ease of Voting
- Mobile phone deposit counters introduced outside polling booths for security and convenience.
- Reduction in voter cap per polling station, improving access and reducing congestion.
- Improved voter information slips for clarity.
- Candidate booths allowed beyond 100 meters from polling stations for unofficial identity slips.
6. Capacity Building
- Training of over 7,000 BLOs and supervisors at India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM).
- Enhanced honorarium and refreshments for field and polling staff.
- Capacity building extended to Booth Level Agents (BLAs), media personnel, and police officers for election readiness.
Strengthening Institutional Capacity
The Commission has further modernized internal operations by,
- Introducing biometric attendance systems for election staff.
- Adopting e-Office for faster documentation and decision-making.
- Relocating several administrative functions to IIIDEM for streamlined functioning.
- These upgrades reflect ECI’s intent to model good governance and administrative transparency.