Election Commission Proposes Meeting with Parties to Improve Electoral Processes

TMC delegation meets CEC, raises alarm over EPIC duplication and voter roll discrepancies

- SIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

Amid allegations of fudging of electoral rolls, the Election Commission invited political parties on Tuesday for an interaction to strengthen the electoral process.

In a statement, the EC said it has invited suggestions from all national and state political parties by April 30 for "any unresolved issues" at the level of electoral registration officers, district election officers and chief electoral officers.

In individual letters issued to political parties on Tuesday, the Election Commission also suggested an interaction with party presidents and senior members "at a mutually convenient time, to further strengthen electoral processes in accordance with the established law".

During an EC conference last week, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar instructed CEOs, DEOs and EROs of all States to hold regular interactions with political parties, resolve any suggestions received in such meetings strictly within the legal framework already in place and submit an action taken report by March 31.

The Commission had also urged political parties to proactively use this mechanism of decentralised engagement. Political parties are one of the key stakeholders among 28 identified by it.

In its letter to political parties, EC also noted that Representation of the People Act 1950 and 1951, Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, Conduct of Election Rules, 1961; orders of Supreme Court have established a decentralised, robust and transparent legal framework for holding free and fair elections.

The issue of duplicate numbers was raised in Parliament by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi who demanded a discussion in the House on the issue of voter lists on which several political parties have raised certain questions.