Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says India is leading other major democracies in electoral transparency, citing features of the election process that political parties and candidates can audit at multiple stages. Speaking in Kashmir during a three-day visit, Kumar discusses components that include preparation of the voter list, polling and counting. He says these stages are concurrently audited by political parties and candidates.
Kumar also describes booth-level officers (BLOs) as “pillars of democracy” and addresses a gathering of BLOs in Budgam district, about 12 km from Srinagar. In addition, he references India’s international role in democracy support, saying India holds the chair of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and referring to this position as part of the broader context of India’s election-related standing. The reports present Kumar’s remarks as an assessment of India’s election transparency and the involvement of stakeholders throughout key stages of the electoral process.
