Key Points – The ECI’s Lack of Transparency is Worrying

1. Context

• June 24: Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the outcome of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of the electoral roll in Bihar without publishing voter lists.
  
  
• Raises concerns on transparency in electoral process.
  
  

2. Concerns Raised

• Opaque Decision-making:
  
  
  • No release of updated electoral rolls despite changes in voter lists.
    
    
  • Lack of disclosure limits public scrutiny.
    
    
• Impact on Credibility:
  
  
  • Without open access, suspicions of manipulation or inaccuracies grow.
    
    
  • Transparency is crucial to uphold trust in electoral democracy.

3. Implications of Non-Transparency

• Direct impact on electoral outcomes through:
  
  
  • Inclusion/exclusion of voters.
    
    
  • Manipulation of voter lists.
    
    
• Undermines Democratic Norms:
  
  
  • Voter rolls are a public document.
    
    
  • Withholding data erodes public confidence.
    
    

4. Recommendations from Experts

• ECI must:
  
  
  • Publish full electoral rolls in machine-readable formats.
    
    
  • Disclose reasons for additions/deletions.
    
    
  • Provide statistical summaries of voter list changes.
    
    
• Ensure citizen verification:
  
  
  • Civil society and political parties need access for scrutiny.
    
    
  • Public engagement ensures accuracy.
    
    

5. Broader Democratic Concerns

• Restricting information sets a dangerous precedent.
  
  
• Transparency in electoral processes is essential to:
  
  
  • Prevent voter suppression.
    
    
  • Strengthen democratic participation.
    
    
  • Guard against misuse of electoral roll revisions.
    
    

Practice Question

GS Paper 2 – Polity & Governance
 “Transparency in electoral processes is a cornerstone of democracy. Critically examine the implications of the Election Commission of India not publishing updated electoral rolls, and suggest measures to strengthen public trust in the electoral system.”