ECI Unveils 30 New Measures to Boost Transparency Ahead of Five-State Assembly Polls

The Election Commission of India has announced a series of 30 new initiatives aimed at strengthening transparency, accessibility and efficiency in the upcoming assembly elections across five states. The measures are part of the Commission's broader effort to modernise the electoral process while ensuring fairness and ease of participation for voters and candidates.

One of the key steps introduced by the Commission is the mandatory depositing of mobile phones outside polling booths, a move intended to prevent any form of photography or recording inside the voting compartment and ensure the secrecy of the ballot.

The Commission has also decided that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will display coloured photographs of candidates, making it easier for voters to identify candidates, particularly in constituencies with multiple contestants.

To improve the overall voting experience and reduce overcrowding, the Commission has capped the maximum number of electors at any polling station to 1,200 voters. This measure is expected to streamline the voting process and shorten waiting times at polling booths.

In another step aimed at maintaining transparency in the immediate polling environment, candidate facilitation booths will be allowed only beyond 100 metres from the polling station, in accordance with election rules.

The Commission has also introduced the ECINET App, a unified digital platform that integrates the services of multiple Election Commission applications. Through ECINET, voters, election officials and stakeholders can access a range of electoral services through a single, streamlined interface.

These initiatives, the Commission says, are designed to reinforce voter confidence and strengthen the credibility of India's electoral process.

Source: Election Commission of India