Election Commission seeks reforms to enhance electoral integrity

The Election Commission (EC) of India is discussing ways to improve the election process due to recent allegations of electoral roll manipulation. Opposition parties claim that many fake voters were added to the rolls to benefit the ruling party. There are also concerns about duplicate voter ID numbers across different states. Since 2004, elections in India have relied on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and, since 2019, these machines have been paired with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. However, there are various issues, including calls for more transparency in the counting process. Current guidelines only require a sample check of a few EVMs, while demands for full transparency have been dismissed in court. In addition to concerns about voting, there are significant issues related to election campaigns. Reports suggest that political parties spent nearly ₹1,00,000 crore during the 2024 elections, far exceeding legal limits. This excessive spending raises questions about corruption. Furthermore, a growing number of elected officials have criminal cases against them, with nearly half of the MPs facing serious charges. To address these issues, experts recommend several reforms. First, there should be a more scientific approach to matching EVM counts with VVPAT slips. Any discrepancies should prompt a full recount in that region. Second, linking Aadhaar numbers with voter IDs could help eliminate duplicate entries, although privacy concerns must be considered. Additionally, the EC should have more power to hold campaigners accountable for violations of election conduct rules. Strict limits on campaign spending for both candidates and parties must be implemented. Lastly, political candidates should be required to publicly declare any criminal history multiple times before elections to help voters make informed choices. All of these reforms are aimed at restoring confidence in India's electoral and campaign processes.