New Delhi (India), March 16: In less than a month of taking office, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has initiated a series of proactive steps to address long-standing electoral challenges, many of which have been unresolved for decades. These measures are designed to improve transparency, inclusivity, and efficiency in the electoral process, especially ahead of the upcoming elections.
One of the key initiatives under Kumar’s leadership is the commencement of All Party Meetings at the levels of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), District Election Officers (DEOs), and Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs). These meetings, set to take place before March 31, 2025, aim to ensure that political parties are engaged at every stage of election management, providing them a platform to voice their concerns and suggestions at the grassroots level.
For the first time in decades, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially invited suggestions from all National and State-recognized political parties within the legal framework, with a deadline set for April 30, 2025. This step underscores the Commission’s dedication to making the electoral process more inclusive and transparent, while responding to stakeholders’ inputs.
Another significant reform introduced under CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s leadership is the resolution of the longstanding issue of duplicate Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), which has persisted for nearly 25 years. Kumar has set an ambitious timeline of three months to resolve the issue, ensuring that every voter is issued a unique and verifiable voter ID.
Additionally, the ECI has begun a training program for field-level political agents, including booth-level agents, polling agents, counting agents, and election agents. This training aims to equip them with the necessary knowledge about their roles and responsibilities within the legal framework, thereby strengthening the electoral process and ensuring well-informed participation from all stakeholders.
In a move to safeguard voter rights, the Commission has also prioritized linking EPIC with Aadhaar to eliminate bogus and duplicate voters, thus maintaining the integrity of the electoral rolls. Furthermore, addressing the issue of excessive wait times at polling stations, CEC Gyanesh Kumar announced during the CEOs’ conference on March 4, 2025, that no polling booth will have more than 1,200 electors in future elections. This reform aims to reduce long queues and ensure smoother polling.
Sources close to the Election Commission have reiterated that under CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s leadership, the ECI remains committed to conducting free, fair, and accessible elections for all. As one source stated, “ECI was, is, and will always be with the voters.”