Within a month of assuming office, the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, has set the entire election machinery—from the Election Commission of India (ECI) down to the Booth Level Officers (BLOs)—on a proactive path to promote greater voter participation and ensure a seamless and pleasant polling experience. Recognising political parties as vital stakeholders, the Commission also actively involves them at the grassroots level.

Reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to nearly 100 crore electors, who stand as the foundation of Indian democracy, the ECI is initiating technical consultations with the UIDAI and its own experts. Although voters can cast their ballot only at their designated polling booths, the Commission has resolved to eliminate duplicate entries in the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) database across the country—aiming to resolve this decades-old issue within three months. Voter list updates will be closely aligned with birth and death registration authorities to maintain accuracy.

During its interactions with political parties, the ECI clarified that any additions or deletions to the draft electoral roll must follow the due process of appeals and objections under the Representation of the People Act, 1950. In the absence of such appeals, the draft list as prepared by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) stands final. It is noteworthy that as of March 7, 2025, following the Special Summary Revision (SSR) conducted between January 6–10, only 89 first appeals and a single second appeal were filed.

Key objectives of the ECI include achieving 100% enrolment of all eligible citizens, simplifying the voting process, and enhancing the overall voting experience. Measures are being implemented to ensure that no polling station serves more than 1,200 electors, and that all polling stations are located within 2 km of voters. Even the most remote rural polling stations will be equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs). To address urban voter apathy, polling booths will be set up in high-rise residential clusters and housing colonies.

In a major step towards continuous and comprehensive capacity building of nearly one crore election personnel, a two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from all States and Union Territories was held at IIIDEM, New Delhi, on March 4–5. For the first time, District Election Officers (DEOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) from across the country also participated. The conference reinvigorated the election machinery, offering a structured mapping of 28 stakeholder groups with defined responsibilities under the Constitution, electoral laws, and ECI guidelines.

Instruction manuals and electoral handbooks will be updated to reflect the latest changes. Digital training kits in multiple Indian languages, along with animated videos and an integrated dashboard, will be developed to support effective training. A new training module for BLOs is also in the pipeline.
To ensure active participation of political parties in all stages of the election process, CEC Gyanesh Kumar, during the CEO conference on March 4, directed all 36 CEOs, 788 DEOs, and 4,123 EROs to hold regular all-party meetings and consultations. These grassroots-level interactions aim to address emerging concerns and resolve issues raised by political parties in a timely manner. This initiative is to be implemented nationwide by March 31, 2025.

The Commission has also offered training for political party representatives and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) on electoral processes, including the filing of claims and objections. The parties have positively received this move. Furthermore, the ECI has invited political parties to submit suggestions on any aspect of the election process by April 30, 2025. An open invitation has also been extended to meet with the Commission in New Delhi at a mutually convenient time.

These comprehensive and forward-looking initiatives underscore the ECI’s commitment to inclusive, transparent, and participatory elections—ensuring that every stakeholder plays a vital role in upholding the democratic process.