Why Election Commission's new draft voter list format is problematic
Just before the Bihar elections, the Election Commission quietly changed how draft voter lists are shared—swapping easy-to-search text files for bulky scanned images.
The new files are much larger and can't be searched or copied, making it tougher for anyone to quickly check details or spot issues.
The change has sparked debate
This move makes it harder for voters, parties, and researchers to review the lists for mistakes or possible manipulation.
The change has sparked debate after Rahul Gandhi accused the ECI of hiding machine-readable data that could reveal fake voters helping BJP in 2024.
He asked for digital access and CCTV footage from election offices, but ECI refused unless he signed a declaration.
For anyone who cares about fair elections and transparency, this shift is raising eyebrows.