Electoral rolls prep in India one of world's most rigorous exercise: CEC

Preparation of electoral rolls in India is one of the world's most rigorous and transparent exercises, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has said before an international audience amid allegations of fudging in voter data.

Electoral rolls are shared with recognised national and state parties in accordance with law every year during revision as well as before the elections, Kumar said in his keynote address at the Stockholm International Conference on Electoral Integrity on Tuesday.

The CEC said the rolls have been shared with recognised political parties since 1960 with provision of claims, objections and appeals. The remarks come close on the heels of opposition parties, including Congress, alleging fudging of voter data to rig elections.

The poll authority has dubbed these charges as absurd.

Addressing the event, Kumar said preparation of voters list is one of the world's most rigorous and transparent exercises, reinforcing the accuracy and integrity of the electoral process.

According to the Election Commission, the CEC noted that this robust mechanism has played a vital role in upholding electoral credibility across the country for years.

Highlighting India's electoral integrity, scale and diversity, Kumar reaffirmed the role of the Election Commission in capacity building programmes for election management bodies (EMB) of countries around the globe. Over 100 participants representing EMBs of around 50 countries are taking part in the conference.

He said the entire electoral process is closely monitored by political parties, candidates, general, police and expenditure observers and the media who, he stated, act akin to concurrent auditors at various stages.

The CEC also highlighted the scale of coordination that underpins the conduct of elections in India. With over 20 million personnel, including polling staff, police forces, observers, and agents of political parties at the time of conduct of elections, the Election Commission becomes the world's largest organisation, surpassing the combined workforce of several national governments and major global corporations and ensures that India's nearly one billion electors are freely able to exercise their franchise, he said.