Vijayawada: Elections are paramount in establishing governments elected by the people in a democratic system, and media plays a crucial role in increasing voter turnout during these elections, said P Pawan, deputy director (media division) of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

He urged regional media representatives to collaborate with the ECI to expand its communication reach and impact at the regional level, thereby empowering voters.

A face-to-face programme was held on Friday at the Secretariat involving representatives from print, electronic, and social media. Pawan was the chief guest and engaged in an interactive session with media personnel.

During the discussion, Pawan elaborated on 23 new initiatives undertaken by the ECI to strengthen the electoral process in a democratic system. He also detailed the facilities provided to voters, political parties, and election staff, along with procedural reforms, legal measures, and ECI’s new innovations and resources.

Referring to the key reforms and initiatives, Pawan said that a Special Summary Revision (SSR) programme is being conducted before the by-elections after nearly 20 years. Voter information slips will be more useful, clearly showing the voter’s serial and part numbers.

Data from the RGI (Registrar General of India) database regarding death registrations will be collected and, after verification, changes will be made to the voter list. A maximum of 1,200 voters are allowed per polling station. Mobile deposit facilities for voters and additional polling booths in apartments/colonies are also being arranged.

The campaign distance limit from the polling station entrance has been reduced to 100 metres. A total of 4,719 meetings were held nationwide with all parties at the CEO/DEO/ERO levels, with over 28,000 political party representatives participating.

The digitisation of Voter Trend Reports (VTR), index cards, and statistical reports is being expedited for faster dissemination. A new comprehensive dashboard, ECINET, has been launched, replacing over 40 apps/websites with a single application to provide all services in one place simultaneously. The implementation of a unique EPIC number system has resolved the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers.

A national conference of lawyers and CEOs is being organised to strengthen the ECI’s legal framework and review laws. A total of 28 stakeholder categories (voters, officials, parties, candidates and others) have been identified for training programmes based on the Representation of the People Acts (1950, 1951), Registration of Electors Rules (1960), Conduct of Elections Rules (1961), and ECI guidelines.

Pawan also mentioned that information related to the Election Commission of India and the electoral process is made available to citizens through various websites and social media platforms.