Overview

• Political parties urged voting soon after Chhath and in minimal phases, and the Commission has indicated it will try to reduce the number of phases.
• The Special Intensive Revision overhauled the rolls by deleting about 68.5 lakh names and adding around 21.53 lakh, leaving roughly 7.42 crore electors, which the CEC defended as lawful even as Supreme Court challenges continue.
• Seventeen operational reforms debut in Bihar, including a 1,200-voter cap per booth, 100% webcasting, larger colour candidate photos on EVM ballots, faster EPIC delivery within 15 days, mobile-phone deposit rooms and counting changes such as earlier postal ballot tabulation.
• The Commission reiterated that Aadhaar can be used as proof of identity only and may be added as a 12th supporting document for roll processes, consistent with Supreme Court directions that it is not proof of citizenship.
• Security planning anticipates more polling stations due to the booth-size cap, with CAPFs preparing additional deployments as the EC finalises the schedule.