Ahmedabad, September 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday said India’s electoral process is conducted in strict adherence to the Constitution, election laws and instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), describing it as a vast and transparent mechanism that sustains the world’s largest democracy.
Speaking at a special interaction with citizens on “Conducting Elections in India – The Largest Democracy in the World” organised by the Ahmedabad Management Association, Kumar highlighted the scale and complexity of conducting elections in the country.
He said India has around 90 crore voters and that the Lok Sabha elections constitute the world’s largest electoral exercise. Around 1.8 crore personnel are deployed during a general election, he added, underscoring the scale of the operation.
Kumar identified three principal stages of the electoral process — preparation of electoral rolls, polling and counting. Around 12 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) verify electoral rolls by visiting voters’ homes, with continuous verification aimed at ensuring eligible citizens are included and ineligible names removed.
He said the fundamental objective was to ensure that every eligible citizen is registered as a voter while preventing the inclusion of ineligible names.
The CEC also highlighted the role of political parties and candidates in the electoral process. Booth Level Agents participate in electoral-roll verification, while mock polls are conducted on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) before actual voting begins.
Kumar reiterated that EVMs are not connected to the internet, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. He said mock polls are conducted in the presence of candidates’ representatives before voting starts and polling begins only after the machines are verified.
After polling, the total votes cast are recorded in Form 17C and EVMs are sealed according to prescribed procedures. During counting, EVM results are verified in the presence of candidates’ counting agents, he said.
Kumar also highlighted the increasing use of technology, including integrated digital platforms such as ECI Net, to improve communication across the election machinery.
Urging citizens, particularly young people, to participate actively in democracy, he said every eligible citizen aged 18 or above should register as a voter and exercise their franchise.
He added that elections to the President and Vice-President, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies are conducted within the constitutional framework and prescribed legal procedures.
During his two-day Gujarat visit, Kumar also visited Gandhi Ashram and the historic Adalaj Stepwell, where he observed its architecture and intricate carvings. Gandhinagar Collector Ravindra Khatale and Adalaj Sarpanch Pragnyesh Patel welcomed him and presented a memento.
Kumar also interacted with BLOs from schools in Dantali, Jamiyatpura, Shertha and Manekba. Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer Sandeep Sagale and Archaeology Department Assistant Superintendent Dineshkumar Meena were among those present during his visit.
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