Bihar Polls 2025: EVM ballot papers to showcase candidates' colour photos for enhanced clarity

Bihar Polls 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revised the existing guidelines under Rule 49B of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, for the design and printing of EVM ballot papers to enhance their clarity and readability, as per an official statement released on Wednesday.

The poll body said that the photographs of candidates will be printed in colour on the EVM ballot paper, and the candidate's face will occupy three-fourths of the photo space for better visibility.

Serial numbers of candidates/NOTA will be printed in the international form of Indian numerals. The font size will be 30 and in bold for clarity, they further added.

The upgraded EVM ballot papers will be used in the upcoming elections, starting with the Assembly polls in Bihar scheduled later this year.

The Election Commission said that the initiative is in line with the 28 initiatives already taken by it in the past six months to streamline and improve election processes and enhance convenience for voters.

The EVM ballot papers will be printed on 70 GSM paper. For Assembly Elections, pink-coloured paper of specified RGB values shall be used, the release said.

To ensure uniformity, the names of all candidates/NOTA will be printed in the same font type and font size, large enough for easy readability, the ECI said.

In the past few months, the INDIA bloc and opposition parties have intensified attacks against the Election Commission of India and the BJP, alleging "vote theft" being carried out to ensure electoral gains for the ruling party.

Earlier this month, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia took a dig at the Congress and said the party behaves like a student who does not study, fails exams, and then blames EVMs instead of accepting defeat.

Bhatia said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the leader working to fulfil the dreams of the Constitution, highlighting his role in abrogating Article 370 and pushing for change and development in the country.

"The BJP, like a good student, performs well in the exam, and later we thank the people, whereas the Congress is like a student that doesn't study, and after they fail, they blame the EVMs; they say that SIR should not be implemented in various states. It shows that the petty politics of the corrupt Congress party and its ideologies have been rejected all over the country," Bhatia said.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, on the same day, slammed the Election Commission of India, questioning whether the poll body has become "BJP's back-office for vote theft".

(With ANI inputs)