Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:INDIA’S general elections and the electoral process, often referred to as the largest democratic exercise on the planet, remains “one of the most trusted in the world” cited a report published in a leading English daily of the United Arab Emirates (UAE. However, the term, it said, hardly does justice to the scale considering that approximately 980 million people were eligible to vote during the Lok Sabha elections held in 2024, reported IANS.
The elections were conducted across a record one million-plus polling stations, guarded and staffed by over 15 million officials and staff, the Khaleej Times said in a report. The nationwide election process is conducted every five years with almost clockwork precision.
“The institution at the heart of this mammoth operation is the Election Commission of India (ECI), an autonomous constitutional body that has earned international respect for its independence and efficiency. Established in 1950, it operates with a mandate enshrined in the Constitution, immune from political interference, and guided by a clear code of conduct,” the report highlighted.
It further stated, “Its credibility rests on a relentless commitment to fairness – from monitoring campaign finance to enforcing the Model Code of Conduct that governs political behaviour, the ECI’s authority is both legal and moral. Working ceaselessly without fear or favour, it has a culture of accountability that has made India’s electoral process one of the most trusted in the world.”
India was the first nation to use mass electronic voting for the first time in the world way back in 1982. In the report, Former Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy, under whose tenure EVMs were used extensively, stated, “EVMs are a matter of pride for India as they cannot lie, and I have no doubts about the credibility of the machines.”
