India’s electoral roll is a living document: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the first ever media conference organized by the Election Commission of India. Credit: X/@ECISVEEP

India’s electoral roll of nearly 95 million voters is a living document that evolves dynamically with time, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said on Friday (July 17, 2026).

Addressing the first ever media conference organized by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Mr. Kumar, while mentioning the legal safeguards underlying the preparation of electoral rolls, said that more than 12 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and more than 15 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) are actively participating in the process as “concurrent auditors”.

Emphasizing that elections in India are conducted in accordance with the constitution, election laws and guidelines issued by the ECI from time to time, he said the entire election process is subject to constant scrutiny by stakeholders involved in the conduct of elections across the country.

According to him, the historically highest turnout in the recent parliamentary elections is proof of voters’ confidence in the country’s electoral system and the vibrancy of Indian democracy.

The CEC also expressed gratitude to all voters for their participation in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process.

Over 380 media professionals from across the country participated in the conference on the theme “Connecting stakeholders, strengthening democracy: the role of media in elections”.

The participants were briefed on the roles and responsibilities of BLAs, Election Agents and Counting Agents, highlighting their role in ensuring transparency, facilitating participation of political parties and strengthening the electoral process at various stages of elections as concurrent auditors of elections in India.

The participants also went through a demonstration of the preparation of the voter list, the voting process and the counting process in groups. The demonstrations provided media professionals with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the various statutory forms, which provided the basis for simultaneous audit by various stakeholders.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 23:12 IST