Ahmedabad, September 12, 2026: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has said India’s electoral process is among the most transparent in the world, with verification carried out at every stage, from preparing electoral rolls to counting votes.
Kumar made the remarks at an “Interaction with Booth Level Officers” programme at Atal Kalam Hall of Gujarat University on Friday, September 11. “At every stage of India’s electoral process, political parties, candidates or their agents continuously carry out verification. Therefore, India’s electoral process is among the most transparent electoral processes in the world,” an official release quoted him as saying.
Checks At Every Stage
Kumar said electoral rolls are continuously verified with the participation of political parties and their Booth Level Agents (BLAs). Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are responsible for identifying cases involving absent, shifted, dead, duplicate and foreigner entries while ensuring that eligible voters remain on the rolls.
He stressed that every eligible Indian citizen who has completed 18 years of age should be included in the electoral rolls. His remarks underlined the Election Commission’s view that regular verification and participation of political parties are important safeguards for the credibility of the electoral process, PTI reports.
EVMs, VVPATs Checked Before Polling
Explaining the checks during polling, Kumar said Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines are tested through a mock poll in the presence of candidates’ polling agents before voting begins.
After polling ends, procedures related to EVM results are completed in the presence of candidates’ agents and the required documents are signed, according to the release. During counting, votes recorded in EVMs are verified against those mentioned in Form 17C in the presence of candidates’ counting agents.
Roll Revision Aims At Accuracy
Kumar said the Election Commission carries out the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls from time to time to maintain their purity and accuracy. BLOs visit voters’ homes and interact with them to verify the required details.
The process includes submission of appropriate documents, mapping and hearings to ensure the accuracy of the rolls. Kumar urged BLOs to remain active and regularly check electoral rolls in their respective areas. He asked them to ensure that the necessary procedures are completed to enrol young people who have turned 18, describing the work as one of the greatest services to the country’s democracy.
Focus On Young Voters
The CEC also participated in the fifth regional conference on “Electoral Literacy Clubs and ECINET” in Ahmedabad. The conference focused on strengthening electoral literacy and democratic awareness among young citizens.
Kumar urged young people and other participants to download the ECINET app and help family members and people around them register new names on the electoral roll. The release said Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) operating in schools and colleges would help strengthen democratic values among young people.
More than 1,000 ELC members, school and college nodal officers, campus ambassadors, BLOs and other stakeholders interacted with Kumar and other dignitaries during the programme.
India Chairs International IDEA
Kumar also highlighted India’s current chairmanship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an organisation comprising 35 major democracies. According to the release, he said the chairmanship reflects global recognition of India’s free and fair electoral system.
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The CEC reiterated that the name of every eligible citizen who has completed 18 years of age should be added to the electoral roll. He also urged citizens to fulfil their democratic duty by casting their vote on polling day.
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