In a bid to make the voting process more user-friendly, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced revised guidelines for the design and printing of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) ballot papers. The new changes will debut in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and aim to enhance clarity, visibility, and voter confidence.

Colour Photos, Uniform Fonts, & Bold Numbers

As per the updated norms under Rule 49B of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, candidates’ photographs will now appear in colour, replacing previous formats that featured either no images or black-and-white photos. For better visibility, the candidate’s face will occupy 75% of the photo space.

The ECI emphasized that all candidates’ names and the NOTA (None of the Above) option will be printed in the same font type and a large, easy-to-read size. Additionally, the serial numbers of candidates and NOTA will be printed in bold, using the international form of Indian numerals, with a font size of 30 to ensure prominence.

Standardised Colour Scheme

The ballot papers will now be printed on 70 GSM paper, ensuring better print quality. For Assembly elections, pink-coloured paper with specific RGB values will be used for uniformity.

The Commission stated that these changes are aimed at making the EVM ballot paper more accessible and visually coherent for voters across all demographics, particularly the elderly and those with visual impairments.

Part of a Wider Overhaul in Election Management

This initiative is part of a larger reform package, with the ECI highlighting that it has undertaken 28 key initiatives in the last six months to improve election transparency, streamline procedures, and make voting more convenient.

Officials noted that these updates would help voters easily identify candidates by matching faces, serial numbers, and symbols, strengthening trust in the election process.

Controversy Over Electoral Roll Deletions

The rollout of the revamped ballot paper design comes at a politically sensitive time, coinciding with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls. The draft list released on August 18 revealed that approximately 65 lakh names had been deleted, sparking political tensions.

Opposition parties have taken the issue to the Supreme Court, alleging that a large number of genuine voters were removed without adequate verification. While the revised ballot design is being welcomed as a voter-friendly move, the ongoing controversy over voter list deletions continues to cast a shadow over the upcoming elections.

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