Congress chief Kharge urges ballot papers, voter-roll reforms and EC transparency

At an INDIA bloc summit attended by leaders such as Mamata Banerjee and Tejashwi Yadav, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge outlined a set of electoral reforms. He warned the coalition would resist any measures that weaken transparency or the core democratic tenet of one person, one vote. Kharge called for advance notice and a robust appeal mechanism for voters whose names are slated for removal from the rolls, and advocated easier registration for young, first-time voters.

He also pressed for an Election Commission that commands broad political confidence and suggested a shift from electronic voting machines back to paper ballots to boost voter trust. The meeting took place amid controversy over the Election Commission's handling of the nationwide SIR of electoral rolls, where commissioners reportedly raised multiple objections. Kharge stressed the need for a unified programme of action to protect voter rights and ensure institutional accountability.