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Key Points

The Election Commission has revised guidelines for EVM ballot papers to include colour photographs of candidates. This change will begin with the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections to enhance clarity and readability. The new design features larger font sizes and standardized formatting for all candidates. This initiative is part of 28 recent election process improvements by the ECI.

Key Points: ECI Adds Colour Photos to EVM Ballot Papers Starting Bihar Polls

  • Colour photos to occupy three-fourths of space for better visibility
  • Serial numbers in international Indian numerals with 30 bold font
  • Pink-coloured 70 GSM paper for Assembly elections
  • Uniform font type and size for all candidate names and NOTA
3 min read

EVM ballot paper to have colour photographs of candidates starting from Bihar polls: ECI

Election Commission introduces colour candidate photos on EVM ballot papers with larger fonts for better visibility, starting with upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

"The photographs of candidates will be printed in colour on the EVM Ballot Paper - Election Commission of India"

New Delhi, September 17

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revised the existing guidelines under Rule 49B of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, for the design and printing ofEVM Ballot Papers to enhance their clarity and readability, as per an official statement released on Wednesday.

The poll body said that the photographs of candidates will be printed in colour on the EVM Ballot Paper, and the candidate's face will occupy three-fourths of the photo space for better visibility.

Serial numbers of candidates/NOTA will be printed in the international form of Indian numerals. The font size will be 30 and in bold for clarity, they further added.

The upgraded EVM Ballot Papers will be used in the upcoming elections, starting with the Assembly polls in Bihar.

The Election Commission said that 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 EVM Ballot Papers will be printed on 70 GSM paper. For Assembly Elections, pink-coloured paper of specified RGB values shall be used, the release said.

To ensure uniformity, the names of all candidates/NOTA will be printed in the same font type and font size, large enough for easy readability, ECI said.

In the past few months, the INDIA bloc and opposition parties have intensified attacks against the Election Commission of India and the BJP, alleging "vote theft" being carried out to ensure electoral gains for the ruling party.

Earlier this month, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Sunday took a dig at Congress, and said the party behaves like a student who does not study, fails exams, and then blames EVMs instead of accepting defeat.

Bhatia said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the leader working to fulfil the dreams of the Constitution, highlighting his role in abrogating Article 370 and pushing for change and development in the country.

"The BJP, like a good student, performs well in the exam, and later we thank the people, whereas the Congress is like a student that doesn't study, and after they fail, they blame the EVMs; they say that SIR should not be implemented in various states. It shows that the petty politics of the corrupt Congress party and its ideologies have been rejected all over the country," Bhatia said.

While Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on the same day slammed the Election Commission of India, questioning whether the poll body has become "BJP's back-office for vote theft".

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While this is a good step, I hope the ECI ensures that all candidates get equal quality photos. Sometimes local candidates might not have professional photos compared to established parties.
A
Aman W
The opposition keeps blaming EVMs but never provides concrete evidence. If they're so concerned, they should focus on improving their own governance rather than making excuses after every defeat.
M
Meera T
Good initiative but what about ensuring that the photos are recent? Some politicians use very old photos that don't resemble their current appearance. ECI should have strict guidelines for this.
D
David E
As someone who has observed Indian elections for years, I must say the ECI's continuous improvements are commendable. The international numerals and larger font size will help reduce errors. Well done!
S
Sneha F
Hope this doesn't increase election costs too much. Taxpayers' money should be used wisely. Maybe ECI can share the cost breakdown for these new ballot papers? Transparency is important.

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