ECI invites multi-party discussion on 'improving' electoral process

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday invited presidents and senior leaders of national and state parties for discussions aimed at improving the electoral process. The initiative comes amid the BJP-led Central government's ongoing disputes with the Opposition regarding discrepancies in hundreds of voter photo identity cards. The ECI has requested suggestions from political parties by 30 April.

"The Election Commission of India has invited feedback from all national and state political parties by April 30, 2025, regarding any outstanding issues at the levels of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), District Election Officer (DEO), or Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). In an individual letter sent to political parties today, the Commission proposed a meeting with Party Presidents and senior party members at a mutually convenient time to further strengthen electoral processes in accordance with established law," an ECI statement noted.

Earlier, chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had instructed all state-level CEOs, DEOs, and EROs of all states to hold interactions with all political parties and submit a report by 30 March.

Political parties are among the key stakeholders identified by the ECI, which includes 28 entities as per the Constitution and is the statutory framework governing all aspects of the electoral process.

The ECI's correspondence also referenced the Representation of the People Acts of 1950-51, the Registration of Electors Rules of 1960, the Conduct of Election Rules of 1961, orders from the Supreme Court and various guidelines issued by the ECI, all of which collectively — and ideally — establish a decentralised, robust, and transparent legal framework for conducting free and fair elections.

The latest announcement follows recent concerns raised about voters in different states possessing identical elector's photo identity card (EPIC) numbers. In response to social media posts and media reports, the ECI clarified that while some electors might share the same EPIC number, their demographic information, assembly segment, and polling booth details remain distinct. Each voter is permitted to cast their vote only at their designated polling station in their respective state or Union Territory.

The ECI explained that this duplication resulted from a decentralised and manual process employed prior to the integration of the electoral roll database into the ERONET system. Any duplicate numbers identified will be rectified, and the ERONET 2.0 platform will be updated to streamline the process.

EPIC numbers serve as unique identifiers for registered voters in India, printed on voter ID cards and used for electoral rolls. They play a crucial role in maintaining transparency and preventing electoral fraud. Voters can utilise their EPIC number to verify their registration, polling station, and electoral roll status, and it also serves as proof of identity for government and financial transactions.