Electoral Trust and Accountability of the ECI

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Context:

Allegations of irregularities in the 2024 general elections have reignited debates over the transparency and impartiality of the Election Commission of India.

Political Allegations and Public Perception

Foundational Role of Trust: The legitimacy of a democratic electoral system depends on universal perception of fairness, particularly by those who lose, akin to judicial verdicts or competitive sports outcomes.
High-Level Political Accusations: The Leader of Opposition, has alleged discrepancies in the 2024 general elections, while past political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, have questioned the impartiality of the ECI.
State-Level Disputes – In Bihar, leaders of opposition has claimed exclusion from the draft electoral roll due to a mismatch in his Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number with ECI records, creating fresh controversy.

Institutional Accountability and Deficiencies

Mandate under Scrutiny: The ECI’s neutrality and efficiency are tested in roll preparation, election scheduling, enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, vote counting, and grievance redressal.
Opaque Handling of Complaints: The Commission has largely limited itself to asserting that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are tamper-proof, while failing to provide clarity on multiple procedural queries.
VVPAT Transparency Concerns: The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), unlike other EVM components, contains centrally installed software, yet its random tallying process remains arbitrary and inadequately explained.

Structural and Systemic Challenges

Unequal Party Capacity: Political parties vary in their ability to monitor different stages of the electoral process, leading to unequal oversight capabilities.
Non-Negotiable Integrity: Electoral integrity is not a matter of compromise or negotiation between political parties and the ECI; it must be ensured as a constitutional obligation.
Course Correction Imperative: The ECI must enhance transparency, procedural fairness, and proactive disclosure to restore public confidence in the electoral framework.

Practice Question:

Critically analyse the challenges in ensuring transparency and impartiality of the Election Commission of India in light of recent controversies surrounding the 2024 general elections. Suggest institutional reforms to strengthen its credibility. (250 words)

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