Election Commission launches 21 key reforms in 100 days to improve polling process

These initiatives, they noted, include procedural reforms, training programmes, and engagement with stakeholders. The measures mark the initial 100 days of Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner.

Voters per polling station reduced

To increase voter accessibility, the EC has reduced the maximum number of electors per polling station from 1,500 to 1,200.

Additional polling booths will be established in densely populated areas such as gated communities and high-rise buildings. The Commission aims to ensure that no voter has to travel more than 2 kilometres to cast their vote.

Key reforms taken by EC

Voter information slips have been redesigned to provide clearer details, including polling station numbers. For added convenience, a mobile phone deposit facility will be available at the entrance of each polling station.

Campaign booths set up by candidates will now be permitted just beyond 100 metres from the polling station gate, rather than the earlier limit of 200 metres from the entire polling premises.

To simplify digital access for stakeholders, the EC has launched a unified dashboard called ECINET. This integrated platform consolidates services that were previously spread across over 40 separate applications.

The Commission has also begun integrating death registration data from the Registrar General of India to allow for timely and verified removal of deceased voters from the electoral rolls.

A special summary revision of electoral rolls has been conducted ahead of an upcoming by-election, marking the first such exercise before a bypoll in several decades, according to officials.

In a move to institutionalise dialogue with political stakeholders, the EC facilitated 4,719 meetings nationwide, with participation from over 28,000 representatives of political parties.

Consultations have also been held with leaders from recognised parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and National People’s Party. Further discussions with both national and state-level parties are planned after the ongoing bypolls.

To support training and capacity building, the Commission has introduced a comprehensive training framework targeting 28 different categories of electoral stakeholders. These modules are grounded in the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, as well as EC guidelines.

Other internal reforms include the implementation of biometric attendance at the EC headquarters, activation of the E-Office system, and regular review meetings at the Chief Electoral Officer level, aimed at improving coordination and operational efficiency.