Ex-CEO hails electoral reforms for increase in suffrage

"In 2008 elections in Rajasthan, one vote decided the outcome of the election and the person who lost by that single vote would have been the Chief Minister of the state today," Chawla said while delivering extension lecture on 'General election 2009 and Electoral Reforms' at University of Kashmir here.

Chawla said in 2008 the Election Commission had to set a polling booth at Zanskar in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir at heights of 16,000-23,000 feet above sea level for just 23 voters.

"This was done only to ensure that even those 23 get the chance to exercise their right," he said.

Explaining the electoral reforms and comparing the statistics of 2004 and 2009 general elections, Chawla said that there has been an exponential growth in suffrage from 40 crores to 70 crores.

"Voter card is the powerful and important form of identity and we advocate every citizen must seek its possession. It is after our endeavour that today 92 per cent population hold the EPIC card which counts up to 582 million," he added.

Chawla said that holding an election with 840 million registered voters with such efficacy is an achievement in itself as being the largest management exercise across the globe.

He, however, acknowledged that there are certain shortcomings which need to be overcome especially like influx of money, berth to those who have criminal background and ticket to youths in elections.