Streamlining Elections: Changes in the Election Commission of India's Procedures for Voting
The recent changes in India's election process and the appointment of commissioners at the Election Commission of India (ECI) have sparked concerns regarding transparency and independence.
The Supreme Court's 2023 judgment proposed a neutral, three-member selection committee, including the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India, to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners. However, the subsequent 2023 ECI Act excluded the Chief Justice of India from this committee, replacing the position with a Union Cabinet Minister, which gives the executive a two-thirds majority in the selection process. This change has drawn criticism for diluting the intended impartiality and is currently under constitutional scrutiny.
On the front of election process reforms, several measures aimed at increasing transparency have been proposed or debated:
- The proposal to mandate public access to Form 17C, which records the total votes polled per booth, via an official digital portal. This would enable citizens and researchers to verify election data, increasing transparency especially for independent or low-budget candidates without agents at all booths.
- The introduction of independent third-party audits of electoral rolls and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to detect errors, manipulation, or malfunctions and thereby improve public confidence in election integrity. Past reports of missing or duplicate voter names have undermined trust, particularly among marginalized groups.
- The ongoing tensions around data transparency and procedural accountability in voter list management, as demonstrated by disputes over accuracy, affidavit demands, and data release.
A series of proposed changes aim to address these concerns:
- The ECI has proposed a CCTV footage escrow system, retaining raw footage for one year on a cloud vault accessible to recognised parties via secure login.
- Periodic third-party roll audits are being authorised, with CAG-empanelled auditors scrutinising 1% booths after every general election.
- The Turnout App is being upgraded with GPS-tagged auto-sync, replacing manual SMS entry with geo-fenced mobile capture plus image of Form 17A register. AI flagging of >2% deviations prompts real-time alerts to observers in the upgraded Turnout App.
- The draft bill can integrate an Ombudsman for rapid dispute resolution during the campaign. Committee hearings will be televised to nurture public accountability, and recommendations will be tabled with action-taken replies within six months.
- Amendments to IT Rules are being considered to tag verified ECI data-sets on social platforms, flagging false turnout claims.
- Funding for these audits will come through the Electoral Trust surcharge (0.01% of corporate political donations). A ₹5 lakh fine is being proposed for wilful dissemination of forged electoral documents.
- Plans are underway to partner with NCERT to embed "digital election literacy" in school civics by 2027.
These developments, if implemented, could significantly improve transparency and public trust in the electoral process. However, ongoing debates and contestations highlight the need for continued vigilance and commitment to safeguarding the ECI's independence and electoral transparency in India.
| Aspect | Change / Issue | Impact on Transparency & Independence | |------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | Appointment of Commissioners | 2023 Act excludes Chief Justice of India from appointment panel, strengthening executive control | Reduced institutional neutrality; perceived bias concerns | | Public Access to Poll Data | Proposal to mandate digital public access to Form 17C (final vote counts) | Increased transparency if implemented; currently limited | | Audits of Voter Rolls & EVMs | Call for independent third-party audits | Improved credibility and public confidence if adopted | | Electoral Roll Revision | Disputes over accuracy, affidavit demands, and data release | Contestations signal lack of transparent processes |
These points reflect ongoing debates as of August 2025 about balancing efficient election administration with safeguarding the ECI’s independence and electoral transparency in India.
In the ongoing debates concerning election process reforms in India, the proposal to mandate public access to Form 17C via an official digital portal is aimed at increasing transparency, particularly for independent or low-budget candidates without agents at all booths. However, the 2023 ECI Act's exclusion of the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee for appointing Election Commissioners has raised concerns about the balance between efficient administration and maintaining the Election Commission of India's independence and impartiality, as it strengthens the executive's control.
