The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced revised guidelines to improve the design of ballot papers used with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), aiming to make them more voter-friendly and visually clear. These changes will be implemented beginning with the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Under the new provisions, the ballot papers will now feature coloured photographs of all candidates. Significantly, three-quarters of the allotted space for each candidate will be dedicated to their facial photograph, enhancing prominence and helping voters identify them more easily.

Other major updates include:

• Font and numerals: Candidate serial numbers will appear in the international form of Indian numerals, bolded and in font size 30 for better visibility. Names of candidates and the NOTA (None of the Above) option will be printed in the same font type and size to maintain uniformity.
• Paper specifications: Ballot papers will be printed on 70 GSM paper. For Assembly elections, the ballot paper will be pink in colour, with specified RGB values to ensure standardization.
• NOTA visibility: The NOTA option will be displayed more prominently to ensure voters can easily locate it.

These reforms are part of a larger set of measures introduced by the ECI to modernize the electoral process and make voting more convenient for citizens.

Implications

The new design is expected to reduce confusion among voters, particularly those with limited literacy, by making candidate identification simpler through larger photographs and clearer text. Highlighting the NOTA option ensures that voters have an easily accessible choice if they do not wish to vote for any listed candidate.

Starting these reforms in Bihar provides an important test case. If successful, the updated ballot paper format could be replicated across future elections in other states, contributing to greater voter satisfaction and transparency in the electoral process.