Election Commission invites political party chiefs for interaction to further strengthen electoral process

New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited suggestions from all national and state political parties by April 30, to address any unresolved electoral issues at the level of Electoral Registration Officers (ERO), District Election Officers (DEO), or Chief Electoral Officers (CEO).

In a letter issued to political parties, the Commission also proposed an interaction with party presidents and senior leaders to further strengthen electoral processes in line with established laws.

“Earlier, during an ECI conference last week, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had instructed CEOs, DEOs and EROs of all States/UTs 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 to the Commission by March 31, 2025. The Commission also urged political parties to proactively use this mechanism of decentralised engagement,” the letter from the ECI read.

It further said that political parties are one of the key stakeholders amongst 28 stakeholders identified by the Commission as per the Constitution and statutory framework covering all aspects of electoral processes.

This comes amid the Opposition parties have questioned the electoral process and voter list manipulation.

Today, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) delegation arrived at the Election Commission Office in Delhi. They will submit a follow-up memorandum on variances in the votes cast in the 2024 Parliament and Assembly Elections in Odisha to the Election Commission of India.

On March 6, a delegation of the Trinamool Congress met Election Commission officials in Kolkata regarding their complaints about the same Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi while speaking in the Lok Sabha on Monday stated that the House needs to discuss the issue of voters list.

He said, “Question is being raised on the voter list in every states. In Maharashtra, questions were raised on black and white voter list. The entire opposition is just saying that there should be a discussion on the voter’s list.”

Speaking to ANI, AAP MP Sanjay Singh accused the Election Commission and the central government of misusing the government machinery to make the list of fake voters. He went to say that they have used the same thing in Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and is now preparing for the same in West Bengal.

Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee formed a committee to check the alleged irregularities in the voters’ list in every district of West Bengal. She alleged that the BJP had added fake voters to the voters’ list to manipulate elections in Maharashtra and Delhi, and they were trying the same trick in West Bengal.