Election Commission of India (ECI)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been proactive in modernizing and strengthening the electoral process.

Key Reforms Undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to Strengthen India’s Electoral Process:

1. Electoral Roll Management

• Delisting Inactive Political Parties: 476 inactive Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) identified for delisting, keeping the party list accurate.

• Special Summary Revision: Electoral rolls revised ahead of by-elections in four states — first such revision in 20 years.

• Intensive Revision in Bihar: Ensured inclusion of all eligible voters and removal of ineligible names.

• Elimination of Duplicate Voter ID Cards: Nationwide removal of duplicate EPIC cards, assigning unique voter IDs to reduce errors.

2. Technology-Driven Transparency and Monitoring

• Launch of ECINET: A unified digital platform integrating over 40 applications and websites for electors, election officials, and parties.

• Digital Index Cards and Reports: Made election data accessible at constituency levels for informed decisions.

• 100% Webcasting of Polling Stations: Continuous monitoring to ensure smooth and violation-free polling.

3. Booth-Level Improvements

• Photo ID Cards for Booth Level Officers (BLOs): Enhanced transparency and trust at grassroots election administration.

• Polling Station Voter Limits: Caps of 1,200 voters per booth reduced crowding, shortened queues, and enabled additional booths in densely populated residential areas.

4. Voter Verification and Accuracy

• Mandatory VVPAT Slip Counting: Enforced in cases of mismatch between EVM data and Form 17C or if mock poll data wasn’t erased, ensuring credible and accurate vote counting.

Major Challenges Confronting India’s Electoral Process:

1. Escalating Election Expenditure

• The difference between actual election expenses and the legally permitted spending limits is increasing.

• Candidates and political parties often exceed spending ceilings but underreport their expenses.

• This leads to shadow financing, fueling corruption and the generation of black money within the electoral system.

2. Criminalisation of Politics

• A significant number of candidates with criminal backgrounds contest elections and many win.

• In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 251 out of 543 MPs (about 46%) faced criminal cases.

• This is driven by the nexus between politicians and criminals, which thrives on the use of money and muscle power.

3. Voter Disenfranchisement and Turnout Issues

• Despite extensive efforts, issues like bogus voting and missing names in electoral rolls persist.

• Urban voter turnout remains relatively low.

• Internal migrants, elderly citizens, and differently-abled persons face difficulties in exercising their voting rights, leading to reduced inclusivity.

4. Freebie Politics and Populist Promises

• There is an increasing trend of unsustainable freebies and populist promises during elections.

• Such practices undermine fiscal discipline and responsible governance.

• Voters tend to be influenced by immediate, short-term benefits rather than long-term development plans.

• Lack of clear guidelines makes it hard to differentiate between genuine welfare schemes and fiscal populism.

5. Electoral Violence and Booth-Level Vulnerabilities

• Though incidents have reduced, sporadic electoral violence and voter intimidation still occur.

• Disclosure of booth-level voting patterns can lead to intimidation or reprisals.

• Poor booth management, especially in sensitive constituencies, undermines the conduct of free and fair elections.

• The absence of totalizer machines (which mix votes across booths to prevent pattern disclosure) leaves communities vulnerable.

6. Technological and Cyber Threats

• New-age threats like deepfakes, misinformation campaigns, and algorithm-driven manipulation on social media pose serious risks.

• These tactics can distort voter perception and undermine the integrity of elections.

7. Electoral Roll Manipulation

• Allegations of manipulation of electoral rolls and the existence of duplicate Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) across states damage the credibility of voter lists.

• Such issues reduce public trust in the electoral process.

8. Lack of Inner-Party Democracy

• Political parties in India often function in a centralized and opaque manner.

• There is widespread dynastic dominance, non-transparent candidate selection, and weak accountability.

• This contradicts democratic principles and restricts the emergence of genuine leadership within parties.

Steps Required to Further Strengthen India’s Electoral Framework:

1. Electoral Finance Reform

• Introduce partial state funding with reimbursement for legitimate expenses (per 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission recommendations).

• Mandate digital disclosure of donations above a threshold and regulate anonymous corporate funding.

• Strengthen CAG/ECI audits and launch a public election expenditure portal for transparency.

• Consider bringing political parties under the Right to Information Act, 2005 for greater accountability.

2. Promoting Inner Party Democracy

• Mandate regular internal elections, transparent candidate selection, and audited party constitutions.

• Implement recommendations from the 1999 Law Commission Report on regulating inner-party democracy.

• Reduce dynastic and opaque party control to foster genuine leadership.

3. Regulating Digital Campaigns & Deepfakes

• Require traceable disclosure labels on all political ads, including sponsor, funding, and geo-targeting details.

• Establish a National Deepfake Detection Cell (involving IITs and CERT-In) for real-time social media monitoring.

• Enforce strict takedown protocols with penalties for non-compliant platforms.

• Launch voter literacy campaigns to combat misinformation and algorithmic manipulation.

4. Strengthening the Election Commission of India (ECI)

• Grant financial autonomy to the ECI by charging its budget to the Consolidated Fund of India.

• Set up regional ECI cells with permanent staff for effective monitoring nationwide.

• Conduct regular performance audits by parliamentary committees.

• Establish a permanent, independent cadre of election officers to reduce conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality.

5. Electoral Process Reforms

• Expand use of totalizer machines to mix votes across booths, preventing disclosure of booth-level voting patterns.

• Ensure uniform electoral rolls and stricter enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.

• Cap campaign durations to maintain a level playing field and improve voter confidence.

6. Towards Simultaneous & Sustainable Elections

• Pilot One Nation, One Election at local and state levels.

• Implement a permanent national electoral roll and a common voter ID to eliminate duplication.

• Redirect savings from simultaneous polls to governance improvements.

• Gradually introduce a fixed electoral calendar for cost-effective and governance-friendly elections.