Bhubaneswar: In under a month since assuming charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, the Election Commission of India (ECI), led by Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, has set the election machinery in motion with a focus on voter participation and an enhanced polling experience. Political parties, as key stakeholders, are being actively involved at the grassroots level to ensure a transparent and inclusive electoral process.
Reaffirming its commitment to the nearly 100 crore electors who form the pillar of democracy, the Commission has initiated technical consultations between the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and ECI experts. While voting will remain restricted to assigned polling booths, the Commission has prioritized the removal of duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers across the country. This long-standing issue is set to be resolved within the next three months. Additionally, efforts to update the voter list in close coordination with birth and death registration authorities are being strengthened.
In interactions with political parties, the Commission clarified that any modifications to the draft elector list follow a legally prescribed appeals process under the Representation of People Act, 1950. As of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) conducted from January 6-10, 2025, only 89 first appeals and a single second appeal were filed, underscoring the robustness of the existing process.
Ensuring 100% enrollment of eligible citizens, facilitating ease of voting, and enhancing voter experience remain key priorities for ECI. Measures will be taken to ensure that no polling station exceeds 1,200 electors and that stations remain within 2 km of voters’ residences. Even in the most remote rural areas, polling stations will be equipped with basic facilities. To combat urban apathy, polling stations will be established within clusters of high-rise buildings and residential colonies to encourage greater participation.
As part of a major push for comprehensive and continuous capacity building, a two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from all States and Union Territories was held at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi on March 4-5. For the first time, District Election Officers (DEOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) from each State and UT participated in the conference. The event aimed to energize the entire election machinery with a structured framework defining the responsibilities of 28 different stakeholders. Election handbooks and manuals will be updated to reflect the latest electoral changes. Additionally, digital training kits in multiple Indian languages, animated videos, and an integrated training dashboard will be introduced to enhance training efficiency. A dedicated module for training Booth Level Officers (BLOs) is also in development.
To ensure comprehensive political participation in election processes, CEC Gyanesh Kumar has directed that all 36 CEOs, 788 DEOs, and 4,123 EROs conduct regular all-party meetings and interactions at various levels. This initiative, set for completion across India by March 31, 2025, aims to address concerns raised by political parties at the grassroots level. Furthermore, the ECI has offered to train political party representatives and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) on electoral laws and the voter list verification process, an initiative welcomed by political parties. The Commission has also invited parties to submit their suggestions regarding electoral procedures by April 30, 2025, and has extended an open invitation for in-person meetings in Delhi at mutually convenient times.
