Strengthening Electoral Integrity: The Need for Systemic Reforms

In a democracy, free and fair elections are its lifeblood. The recent editorial discussion in The Hindu sheds light on critical concerns regarding voter registration irregularities that demand urgent attention.

From duplicate entries to fake addresses, missing photographs, and questionable last-minute additions to voter lists, these gaps not only challenge the “one person, one vote” principle but also erode public confidence in the electoral process.

The Election Commission of India, under Article 324 of the Constitution, has the constitutional duty to ensure the sanctity of elections. Transparency, proactive data sharing, and openness to constructive criticism are essential for safeguarding voter trust.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercises—like the one in Bihar—are necessary to clean voter rolls, but they must be conducted with accuracy, fairness, and adequate public awareness to avoid excluding legitimate voters. Equally important is making electoral data easily searchable and accessible for public scrutiny.

Electoral reforms should focus on:

Eliminating duplicate and fraudulent entries.

Verifying addresses and voter identities.

Ensuring balanced inclusion of all eligible voters.

Expanding the audit of EVM-VVPAT systems for greater transparency.

Strong institutions thrive not by avoiding criticism but by embracing it to improve processes. Protecting the integrity of elections is not just a procedural necessity—it is the foundation of a healthy democracy.

#ElectoralReforms #Democracy #Governance #Transparency #VoterRights #ElectionCommission #PublicTrust #GoodGovernance #India