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Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
ECI plans to redefine voting with major initiatives
New Delhi: In a sweeping drive to strengthen electoral management and improve voter facilitation, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out 21 major initiatives over the past 100 days. The reforms, introduced under the leadership of the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, showcase a big strategic push for several areas. These include procedural clarity, technological integration, and stakeholder inclusivity in the electoral process, say EC sources. These steps were charted out during the Conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) held in March 2025. Election Commissioners (ECs) Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi were also present on that occasion. The initiatives represent a 'purposeful, pragmatic, and proactive' approach in the first 100 days of the new CEC's tenure, added the sources. One of the key measures includes reducing the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,500 to 1,200. The purpose is to reduce congestion and ensure a smoother voting experience. To further improve access, additional polling booths will be established in densely populated areas, particularly in gated communities and high-rise buildings, so that no voter has to travel more than 2 km to cast their vote.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
CEC Gyanesh Kumar Completes 100 Days: Here Are 21 Reforms Launched By Election Commission
Last Updated: These initiatives come at a time when the ECI has faced considerable scrutiny following various elections Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who took charge of the Election Commission of India on February 19, completed 100 days in office on Thursday. In recent weeks, the ECI, under his leadership, has introduced numerous reforms and changes to provide a smoother experience for both voters and political parties while also streamlining election management. In a statement, the commission said, 'A slew of purposeful, pragmatic and proactive measures has marked the first 100 days of the 26th Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's tenure. The vision for a reinvigorated ECI was charted out by the CEC in the presence of Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi during the Conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) held in March 2025." These initiatives come at a time when the ECI has faced considerable scrutiny following various elections. Voters first Several voter-centric initiatives have been launched, including guidelines for setting up additional polling booths in high-rises and residential colonies to reduce travel time for voters. The commission has also reduced the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,500 to 1,200, minimising waiting times. Electoral roll updates will now incorporate death registration data directly from the Registrar General of India (RGI) database, subject to verification. This replaces the previous system where a family member had to file Form 7 for the deletion of a deceased voter's name. Voter information slips will be made more user-friendly, with prominent display of serial and part numbers. Furthermore, mobile phone deposit facilities will be provided outside polling stations, addressing a previous logistical challenge for voters. The commission has also replaced all duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers with unique identifiers. In total, 28 stakeholders, including electors, election officials, political parties, and candidates, have been identified within the electoral process. Reforms are being implemented with each of these stakeholders in mind. Training presentations based on the commission's acts, rules, and instructions are being developed for each stakeholder group. Engagement with political parties To enhance trust with political parties, the commission has introduced reforms to improve communication and address concerns. Over 4,700 all-party meetings have been conducted across India at the electoral registration officer (ERO), district election officer (DEO), and chief electoral officer (CEO) levels, involving more than 28,000 party representatives. CEOs oversee elections at the state level, DEOs at the district level, and EROs at the assembly constituency level. These decentralised meetings ensure that party workers at all levels remain informed throughout the electoral process. The commission is also meeting national and state party leaders. Of the six national parties, the CEC has met the presidents of five: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), and National People's Party (NPP). Further meetings are planned after the current by-elections. Canvassing distance norms have been relaxed, allowing candidates and parties to set up booths beyond 100 metres, compared to the previous 200-metre limit. Capacity-building programmes for booth-level agents have been conducted in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. Internal changes and capacity building The commission has launched ECINET, a new integrated dashboard providing all services for all stakeholders at a single point, replacing over 40 apps and websites. A national conference of counsels representing the ECI and CEOs was organised to strengthen synergy and refine the legal framework. Standardised photo ID cards for booth-level officers (BLOs) have also been introduced. Training has been conducted for over 3,500 booth-level supervisors, with an additional 6,000 BLOs/BLO supervisors scheduled for training in the next 45 days across approximately 20 batches. Regular meetings between the ECI and CEOs of all 36 states/union territories are being held to improve coordination between their offices and various ECI divisions. First Published:
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
ECI to provide Mobile Deposit Facility for voters at polling stations
New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): In line with various initiatives aimed at enhancing voter convenience and streamlining poll day arrangements, the Election Commission has issued two more comprehensive instructions for providing mobile deposit facility for voters just outside the polling stations and rationalising norms for canvassing, according to an official statement. The instructions are in line with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961. Recognising the increasing coverage and usage of mobile phones in both urban and rural areas and the challenges faced not only by the voters at large but also by senior citizens, women, and PwD electors in managing mobile phones on the poll day, the Commission has decided to allow a mobile deposit facility just outside the polling stations. Only mobile phones shall be allowed within 100 meters of the polling station and that too in switched-off mode, the release said. As per the release, very simple pigeonhole boxes or jute bags shall be provided near the entrance door of the polling station where the voters would be required to deposit their mobile phones. Mobile phones shall not be allowed to be carried inside the polling station by the voter. However, certain Polling Stations can be exempted from this provision based on adverse local circumstances by the Returning Officer. Rule 49M of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which ensures secrecy of voting within the polling station, will continue to be strictly enforced. Further, in a move aimed at improving election day facilitation, the Commission has rationalised the permissible norms for canvassing in line with the electoral laws to 100 meters from the entrance of the polling station. However, electioneering shall not be allowed within a 100-meter radius around the Polling Station on the day of the poll. Therefore, the booths set up by the candidates on poll day for issuing unofficial identity slips to electors, in case the electors are not carrying their official Voter Information Slips (VIS) issued by the Commission, can now be set up just beyond 100 meters of any polling station. The Election Commission of India, under the Chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, remains committed to conducting elections strictly in accordance with the legal framework, while continuously innovating to improve the facilities for the voters. (ANI)
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
ECI inaugurates two-day conference of CEOs to ensure correct and updated Electoral Rolls
New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): The Election Commission of India inaugurated a two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi on Friday. The two-day programme, which was organised by Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar in the presence of Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, was followed by an interaction with the participants. The conference focused on leveraging technology to ensure correct and updated electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections. The event brought together top officials from across the country to discuss strategies and innovations in election management. Earlier, on April 23, the Election Commission of India had organised a two-day training and capacity-building session for Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) and other field-level functionaries at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi. That was the third such batch of BLOs to be trained from the poll-bound state of Bihar. 229 Booth-Level Officers (BLOs), 12 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and two District Election Officers (DEOs) from the State are participating in the two-day training programme. A specialised one-day training programme for the State Police Nodal Officer (SPNO) and Police Officers from Bihar also commenced. ECI said that the training is planned to familiarise the BLOs with their roles and responsibilities as per the statutory framework and equip them to ensure error-free electoral rolls. They will also be trained in the IT applications designed to support their roles. This is the latest in the first phase of the ongoing physical training programmes at IIIDEM, in which 555 BLOs from the poll-bound states of Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam and 279 Booth Level Agents (BLA)--the first of 10 recognised national and state political parties from Bihar--have already been trained. 'These well-trained BLOs will form a corps of Assembly Level Master Trainers (ALMTs) to strengthen the entire network of BLOs nationwide,' ECI said. The poll body said the training of SPNOs and Police Officers from Bihar aims to improve coordination between election authorities and the police for enhanced electoral management, especially in the areas of law and order, vulnerability assessment, Paramilitary forces (CAPF) deployment, and model code of conduct (MCC) enforcement. ECI said that to date, over 3,000 participants from 141 countries, including large democracies such as Australia, the United Kingdom, the USA, Brazil, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Israel, Russia and South Africa, have benefited from training programmes from India's globally acclaimed election management practices at IIIDEM. (ANI)
India Gazette
15-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Election Commission meets AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, party leaders in Delhi
New Delhi [India], May 15 (ANI): The Election Commission of India held a meeting with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, Arvind Kejriwal and senior party leaders at Nirvachan Sadan in the national capital on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. From the AAP, party leaders Raghav Chadha and Saurabh Bhardwaj joined in the discussions. The meeting is in continuation of the interactions being held by ECI with the Presidents of various national and state political parties. 'These interactions provide for a long-felt need of constructive discussions which enable National and State Party Presidents to share their suggestions and concerns directly with the Commission,' the Election Commission of India stated in a press release. The release further stated that the initiative aligns with the Commission's broader vision of further strengthening the electoral process in accordance with the existing legal framework with all stakeholders. The Commission had earlier met with the delegations of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), led by the Party President Mayawati, on May 6; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by the Party President Jagat Prakash Nadda, on May 8, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), MA Baby on May 10 and the Party President of the National People's Party, Conrad Sangma on May 13. Earlier, a total of 4,719 all-party meetings have been conducted, including 40 meetings by CEOs, 800 by DEOs, and 3879 by EROs, engaging over 28,000 representatives of various political parties. On May 1, the Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced three new initiatives aimed at improving the accuracy of electoral rolls. These measures are in line with the initiatives as envisaged by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Gyanesh Kumar, during the Conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), in the presence of Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi in March this year, as per an ECI release ECI is also set to redesign Voter Information Slips to make them more user-friendly and informative. (ANI)
