Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi during the two-day conference of CEOs of all States/UTs at India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), in New Delhi on Tuesday (March 4, 2025).
| Photo Credit: ECI via PTI Photo
Amid complaints of anomalies in voters’ lists, the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday (March 4, 2025) asked its State-level officials to hold regular interactions with political parties to resolve any issues within the existing statutory framework.
On the first day of a two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all States/Union Territories, the commission directed each of them to submit issue-wise action taken reports by March 31, 2025.
The directions came amid Trinamool Congress’s allegations of duplication of voter ID numbers in West Bengal. The Congress has also alleged voter list manipulation, especially in the Maharashtra Assembly election.
The EC had responded by saying that irrespective of the electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number, a person can cast only one vote at their designated polling stations in their respective constituencies. The commission also said that it would remove these duplications and ensure that each voter got a unique EPIC number.
‘Be approachable’
On Tuesday (March 4, 2025), the three-member commission led by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar interacted with the CEOs on a series of topics. According to a senior official in the poll body, the discussion will pave the way for improvements in election management in the country within the established legal framework. He also directed officials to be approachable and responsive to political parties.
Mr. Kumar told them to work transparently and fulfil all statutory obligations diligently and as per the existing legal framework i.e. the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951; Registration of Elector Rules, 1960; Conduct of Election Rules, 1961; and the instructions issued by the EC from time to time.
The CEC asked officials to ensure that all citizens of India who are aged above 18 are registered as electors, according to an official statement.
Officials were directed to make efforts to have between 800 and 1,200 electors in each polling booth, and ensure that it is within a two-km distance from the residence of each elector. Polling booths with assured minimum facilities should be established for the ease of voting in rural areas. Booths should also be established in high-rise buildings as well as slum clusters to increase voting in urban areas.
After a comprehensive mapping of the constitutional framework and statutes, the EC has identified 28 distinct stakeholders in the entire election process, including CEOs, political parties, candidates, polling agents, etc. The conference aims to strengthen the capacity building of each of these stakeholders, the statement said.
Published – March 04, 2025 10:55 pm IST
