Election Commission of India Engages with Political Parties on Electoral Process Concerns

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been actively engaging with national and state political parties to address concerns related to voter lists and the electoral process. This initiative involves inviting suggestions and holding discussions to strengthen the integrity and transparency of elections.

ECI Invites Suggestions on Electoral Issues

The ECI has invited suggestions from all national and state parties by April 30 regarding any unresolved issues at the level of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), District Election Officer (DEO), or Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). This move underscores the Commission’s commitment to addressing concerns raised by political parties and ensuring a fair electoral process.

Engagement with Political Parties

The Election Commission has proposed direct interaction with the presidents and senior leaders of political parties to allay their concerns and reinforce electoral processes. Separately, the EC has been hearing delegations from parties such as the BJP, TMC, and BJD on various issues, including concerns about bogus voters, duplicate EPIC numbers, and voter turnout data.

Concerns Raised by Political Parties

Several political parties have raised specific concerns with the Election Commission:

• BJP: The BJP delegation alleged that over 13 lakh duplicate voters were added to the electoral roll in West Bengal during TMC’s rule, with “systematic infiltration” of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants. They also claimed that 8,415 voters were issued the same EPIC numbers.
• TMC: The TMC raised concerns regarding duplicate EPIC numbers, and duplicate, shifted, and dead voters. They also voiced concerns about the cloning of Aadhaar cards potentially leading to fake voter registrations.
• BJD: The BJD requested the record of votes polled during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha last year, which the EC clarified was already shared with candidates’ polling agents in Form 17C.

ECI’s Response to Concerns

The Election Commission has responded to the concerns raised by the political parties by emphasizing the participative nature of updating the electoral roll and adhering to established mechanisms of appeal under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The EC has assured that all concerns regarding duplicate EPIC numbers, shifted and dead voters, and illegal migrants will be addressed by booth level officers and concerned electoral registration officers with the active participation of booth level agents appointed by all political parties.

Training Programs for Party Agents

To enhance awareness of electoral laws and processes, the TMC, BJP, and BJD have agreed to nominate booth level, polling, counting, and election agents for training programs conducted by the ECI. These training programs aim to ensure that party agents are well-versed in electoral procedures and can contribute to a transparent and fair electoral process.

Decentralized Engagement

The Election Commission has emphasized the importance of decentralized engagement, urging Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) at the state level, District Election Officers (DEOs) at the district level, and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) at the assembly level to regularly hold meetings with political parties to resolve issues within the statutory framework. The EC has also instructed officials to be approachable and responsive to the parties’ concerns.

Background on Election Commission of India

The Election Commission of India is a constitutional body responsible for administering elections in India. It was established in accordance with the Constitution on 25th January 1950. The Commission operates autonomously and is responsible for conducting free and fair elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.

The Commission is composed of a Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election Commissioners as the President may from time to time fix. The President appoints the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. The Commission’s secretariat is located in New Delhi.

The Election Commission’s main responsibilities include:

• Determining the constituencies’ boundaries.
• Preparing and revising electoral rolls.
• Registering political parties.
• Setting the code of conduct for elections.
• Conducting elections.