ECI moots new voting method, online nomination & ceiling on party expenses as part of its Electoral Reforms

Mumbai: Taking note of the fact that nearly 30 percent of electors are unable to participate in elections for various reasons, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is exploring the possibility and feasibility of different voting methods like Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) which remains secure and safe and improve electoral participation.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the ECI had for the first time used the ETPBS for its Service voters (staff deployed in conduct of elections) across the country and the number of Service voters rose to 18 lakhs. ECI however is silent on the growing demand from voters who cannot cast their ballot for being away from home due to official work, or having migrated to other town or city.

This happens to be part of the 25 suggestions of the Working Groups set up by the ECI during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on various aspects of electoral management. The poll body has now invited members of the public to make comments/suggestions on these 25 recommendations and send them by Email to coordination@eci.gov.in by March 31, 2020.

Besides the ETPBS, the ECI has now proposed to provide Online facility for filing nomination papers for candidates. It has argued that often there are avoidable errors and long queues before the Returning Officer during the nomination process. Creating Online facility for filing nomination papers will help in avoiding errors and ease the process of filing the nomination papers.

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It may be recalled that New Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president, Arvind Kejriwal during the recent Delhi Assembly elections could not submit his nomination papers in time before the scheduled deadline as he got stuck in his own road show. He had to submit his nomination papers the next day.

Another major electoral reform that the ECI has proposed is the ceiling on election expenditure by political parties during elections. The ECI states, “at present, there is no cap on the expenditure to be incurred for an election by the political parties. There is felt the need for having such a cap for level playing field. In view of this, in 2015, the ECI had recommended to the Ministry of Law, a proposal to cap maximum expenditure of political parties to a multiple of half of maximum prescribed limit for individual candidates with the number of candidates fielded”.

Taking note of the multiplicity of Forms for name registration, change of address, deletion of name etc, the ECI has now proposed to have one simplified Form for all the services to the voters. The ECI argues that often the multiplicity of forms create confusion and affect the efficiency in the process.

Keeping up with its motto ‘No Voter to be Left Behind’ and keeping in mind the hardships that senior citizens above 80 plus years and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), the ECI has mooted doorstep delivery of electoral services to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and senior citizens above 80 plus years.

In respect of little known electoral roll for Graduates and Teachers constituencies in Legislative Council’s, the ECI has proposed that it be done Online platforms of Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). But the cumbersome part of this whole exercise of electoral rolls for Graduates and Teachers constituencies is that they are mandated to be made afresh for each election.

In order to boost registration of new age voters, the ECI has proposed to start Online registration of prospective voters at the age of 17 years, for which facilities will be provided in schools and colleges. Another significant suggestion made is that instead of one annual qualifying date of January 1 of that year for registration, the ECI has now proposed Quarterly and Six Monthly (Half Yearly) qualifying dates for voter registration. The ECI argues that the need for doing is because at present anyone turning 18 years of age after January 1 remains ineligible to become voter for any election in that year, despite having turned 18 years of age after the qualifying date.

Taking note of the oft repeated complaint of voters about difficulty in locating the nearest polling booth, the ECI has now proposed to use Geographic Information System (GIS) with territorial boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies and location of polling stations. The move could prove handy for voters who often find it difficult to locate their nearest polling booth.