Bihar elections: EVMs get a makeover; coloured candidate pics, bolder font

The ECI said that the upgraded ballot papers will be deployed in the upcoming elections, beginning with Bihar, which is scheduled to take place later this year

Voters in Bihar will witness a new colourful change on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) this election, as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that the ballot paper of these machines will now feature coloured photographs of the contesting candidates.

 

According to the ECI, the development is part of its efforts to improve clarity and readability for voters.

 

Under the new format, candidates’ photographs will now be printed in colour, with their faces occupying “three-fourths of the photo space for better visibility, the ECI said. Names of all candidates, including NOTA, will be printed in a uniform font type and size, while serial numbers will appear in the international form of Indian numerals in bold, size 30, for greater clarity.

 

It added that the ballot papers will also be printed on 70 GSM paper to ensure durability. For Assembly elections, they will carry a pink background, with colour specifications set according to RGB values.

 

"The initiative is in line with the 28 initiatives already taken by the ECI in the past 6 months to streamline and improve election processes and enhance convenience for voters," the commission said.

 

The ECI added that the upgraded ballot papers will be deployed in upcoming elections, beginning with Bihar, which is scheduled to take place later this year.

 

According to PTI, the practice of using photographs on EVM ballot papers was started 10 years ago with the aim was to avoiding confusion in constituencies where several candidates shared the same name or had similar-sounding names.