ECI rolls out three new initiatives to improve electoral process

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced three major initiatives aimed at enhancing the accuracy of electoral rolls and making the voting experience more accessible and citizen-friendly. The measures were introduced as part of the broader electoral reforms discussed during the Conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) held in March 2025, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi.

One of the key initiatives includes the electronic collection of death registration data from the Registrar General of India. This move, in accordance with Rule 9 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and Section 3(5)(b) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (amended in 2023), aims to provide timely updates to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). With this system, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) can conduct prompt field verification without waiting for individual Form 7 submissions.

This is expected to significantly reduce the inclusion of deceased individuals on the electoral rolls.

In a bid to enhance voter convenience, the Commission will redesign the Voter Information Slips (VIS) to make them more user-friendly. The revised slips will feature a larger font size for the voter’s serial number and part number, enabling easier identification of polling stations and helping officials locate voters’ names more efficiently on polling day.

The third initiative focuses on boosting the visibility and credibility of Booth Level Officers. All BLOs, who are appointed under Section 13B(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, will now be issued standardised photo identity cards. This measure aims to help citizens easily recognise and confidently interact with BLOs during voter registration and verification drives, especially during house-to-house visits.

MT