DMPQ: Discuss the Challenges faced by the ECI? List down the reforms brought out by ECI for conducting free and fair elections.

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the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections. If democracy is a temple then EC is priest.  But conducting elections for such diverse country and frequent elections is not without challenges. The major challenges with the ECI are as follows:

 

Constitutional loopholes:

• The constitution has not prescribed the qualification of the members of the ECI.
• The © has not specified the term of the members of the EC.
• The © has not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment by the government.

Capacity:

• Lack of dedicated permanent staff.
• Expenses are not charged on consolidated fund of India.
• Problem faced due to vast territory of India. Sometimes it become difficult to carry out elections in difficult terrain.

Perception:

• Some voters have trust deficit due to frequent use of money and muscle power. There is creditability issues with respect to expenditure during elections.
• Recent allegation of fraud in EVM’s

 

The reforms bring in by ECI So far:

• SVEEP( explain)
• NOTA
• VVPAT
• Reforms in Nomination filling
• EVM
• National electoral roll purification and Authentication programme: building a completely error-free and authenticated electoral roll.
• National voters service portal : to provide singlewindow services to electors.
• Mobile apps: Matdatta, matdaan, Samadhaan, Sugam,Suvidha, E-netra