The Hindu: Published on 18th March 2025:
Why in News?
The Election Commission (EC) has invited political parties for discussions to strengthen the electoral process. This follows allegations of electoral roll manipulation and duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers in various states during the recent assembly elections.
Legal Provisions Governing Elections:
- Article 324 of the Constitution grants the Election Commission authority over the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures.
- The Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 govern the process of voter registration.
Transition from Ballots to EVMs in Elections:
- In the 1952 and 1957 elections, separate ballot boxes were used for each candidate.
- In 1962, ballot papers with candidates' names and symbols were introduced.
- Since 2004, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been used in all elections.
- Since 2019, EVMs are backed by 100% Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in all constituencies.
Key Controversial Issues:
Concerns Over EVM and VVPAT Reliability:
Petitions were filed seeking a return to paper ballots and 100% VVPAT matching, but the Supreme Court dismissed them in April 2024.
However, the Court allowed 5% of EVMs to be inspected if tampering is suspected.
Allegations of Electoral Roll Manipulation:
Fake voters were allegedly added to benefit the ruling party in Maharashtra and Delhi elections.
Duplicate EPIC numbers were found across states like West Bengal, Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab, raising further concerns.
Disruptions in Election Campaigning:
Star campaigners used abusive language and made caste- and religion-based appeals.
Political parties exceeded election expenditure limits, spending nearly ₹1,00,000 crore in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Increase in criminal candidates:
251 (46%) out of 543 MPs have criminal cases against them.
170 (31%) MPs face serious charges like murder, rape, and kidnapping.
Necessary Electoral Reforms-
Enhancing EVM and VVPAT Transparency:
Increase sample size for EVM-VVPAT matching in a scientific manner.
Use ‘Totaliser Machines’ to aggregate votes from multiple EVMs, maintaining booth-level secrecy.
Ensuring Transparency in Voter Registration:
Eliminate duplicate EPIC numbers and improve the verification process.
Consider linking Aadhaar with voter ID after addressing privacy concerns.
Reforming Election Campaigning:
Election Commission should have the authority to revoke ‘Star Campaigner’ status for violating campaign guidelines.
Impose a spending limit on political parties in addition to candidate expenditure limits.
Candidates with criminal records must disclose their cases in media three times before elections to ensure voter awareness.
Conclusion:
- Free and fair elections are a fundamental part of India’s democratic framework.
- For greater transparency and public trust, the EC must ensure stricter EVM verification, elimination of fake voters, control of election spending, and discipline in election campaigns.
- Electoral reforms are essential to strengthen democracy and uphold voter confidence.
