By Firstdespatch Desk May 22, 2025
Agartala, May 22 (FD) In a significant move towards enhancing transparency and efficiency in the electoral process, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced 18 new measures. These reforms aim to improve voter services, streamline political party engagement, and strengthen administrative practices.
Key Reforms for Voters
The Commission has limited the number of voters per polling station to a maximum of 1,200, ensuring smoother voting experiences. Additional polling stations will be set up in remote and hilly areas for better accessibility. To improve the accuracy of the electoral rolls, the ECI will now directly collect data on deceased voters from the Registrar General of India (RGI) database. Furthermore, Voter Information Slips will be redesigned to prominently display the voter's serial and part numbers, improving convenience and clarity.
Initiatives for Political Parties
As part of its efforts to promote dialogue, the ECI has conducted over 4,700 all-party meetings — 40 at the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) level, 800 at the District Electoral Officer (DEO) level, and 3,879 at the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) level. More than 28,000 party representatives have participated. The Commission has also engaged with key political parties, including BJP, AAP, BSP, CPI(M), and NPP. To support grassroots operations, skill-building workshops for booth-level agents have been held in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry through IIIDEM.
Tech and Legal Upgrades
A centralized dashboard, ECI-NET, has been launched to integrate over 40 previously separate apps, simplifying access to electoral services. A new mechanism for generating unique EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) numbers has been introduced to eliminate duplicates.
From a legal standpoint, 28 stakeholders involved in elections have been identified based on the Representation of the People Acts (1950, 1951) and relevant rules. Regular training is now being provided to these stakeholders, including voters, officials, and candidates.
Empowering Election Personnel
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will receive official photo ID cards and skill development training at IIIDEM, New Delhi. Over 3,000 supervisors have already been trained, with plans to train over one lakh more. Senior officials from all 36 states and UTs are also being trained, along with police officers from Bihar.
Additionally, the Commission has introduced biometric attendance, e-office systems, and regular coordination meetings to enhance internal efficiency. PRESS RELEASE