His is perhaps the toughest job in the state standing as the vanguard of the strongest portal of democracy – The Electoral System. With the country all set to go in for elections, he is the man who ensures that you get to cast your vote and have the strongest voice in the progress of your country. Mahesh Dharamadhikari spends a Sunday afternoon decoding the rigorous work of softspoken, and affable Shrikant Deshpande, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)
The primary and most critical responsibility of the Election Commission of India is to ensure free and fair elections in the world’s largest democracy. However, delving deeper into its operations and accomplishments leaves one truly mesmerized.
Managing its affairs in the states through Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), the Election Commission of India plays an important role. In Maharashtra, Shrikant Deshpande, an IAS officer from the 1991 batch, serves as the CEO, tirelessly undertaking significant efforts to uphold the integrity of electoral processes.
Shrikant Deshpande boasts a rich history of serving in various esteemed positions, including District Collector, Deputy Secretary of the Governor, Finance Secretary, and Private Secretary to the Union Minister for Agriculture, among others. He has contributed extensively to resolving the Maharashtra–Karnataka border issue, meticulously gathering documentary evidence and notable speeches by prominent politicians from both states. His Marathi reference book, titled ‘Seemavaad: Sangharsh ani Sankalp’, offers detailed insights into the issue that plagued the two states in recent years.
Voter Empowerment
In a non-election year, upon his appointment as CEO of Maharashtra, Shrikant Deshpande took up a mission of real importance – ensuring systematic voter registration and creating voter awareness. Engaging with individuals from various fields, he convened over a hundred discussions, either in person or virtually, to enhance their insights on the electoral process and receive suggestions for its betterment. He received an enthusiastic response for his initiative. Some of the seminars he organized were on the topics like ‘Lokshahi Gappa’, ‘Strengthening the Democracy’, ‘Role of a teacher in Democracy’.
As the CEO, Shrikant Deshpande also leveraged the prestigious ‘Marathi Sahitya Sammelan’, an annual literary event held in different parts of Maharashtra as an opportunity to raise voter awareness. Each edition of the festival, from Nashik in 2021 to Amalner in 2024, served as a fitting platform for discourse on pertinent topics like ‘Literature, Language, and Democracy’, ‘The Writer’s Role in Democracy’, and ‘Empowering Marginalized Voices’.
Utilizing the conventional methods of creative awareness, Deshpande also integrated voter awareness initiatives into cultural events such as the ‘Ganapati’ and ‘Bhondala’ festivals, organizing competitions that captured the public’s attention. During the popular ‘Pandharpur Wari’, a pilgrimage journey, he arranged the participation of over 250 National Service Scheme (NSS) students in a special program called ‘Lokshahi Wari’, wherein they showcased traditional Marathi folk arts to promote civic consciousness. Additionally, he curated contests of slogans, advertisements, and short films, all centered on the themes related to democracy.
In his earlier works to create awareness around electoral system, Deshpande also championed the voices of marginalized communities, dedicating a seminar in Pune to the transgender community, with over 70 individuals actively participating and contributing their perspectives. Their collective insights were breathed life into a book titled ‘Aamhihi Bharatache Lok’. Notably, the upcoming twelfth volume of ‘Lokshahi Gappa’ is slated for release in March, which promises to further enrich the discourse on democracy with invaluable insights taken from the experiences of ordinary citizens.
Youth Matters
As CEO, Shrikant Deshpande spearheaded the establishment of Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) in over 500 colleges across Maharashtra. In the state with over 45 lakh 79 thousand youth population aged 18 to 19 years, only 10 lakh 18 thousand were registered voters. It is because of Deshpande’s initiatives that an impressive 6 lakh 70 thousand voters were registered between September and December 2023. The initiative was extensively supported by the ‘Worship Earth Foundation’ (WE Foundation) in Pune that played a pivotal role in setting up over 420 ELCs across 13 districts, resulting in two lakh 17 thousand new voter registrations during the same period. Additionally, within the age bracket of 20 to 29, the total number of registrations reached eight lakh 33 thousand, with three lakh 50 thousand voters enlisted through WE Foundation’s efforts.
As per the new election model, student volunteers will undergo training prior to the actual voting process.
Currently, comprehensive sessions on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems are being conducted across all colleges in Maharashtra. Following this, the important task of compiling and updating voter lists ensues, represents a continuous effort. Initially, electoral personnel identified individuals lacking photographs on their voter cards, totaling 37 lakh such cases. Approximately 18 lakh entries belonged to deceased individuals, which were verified through physical inspection. A Special Summary Revision (SSR) was then initiated, urging voters to verify their inclusion in the voter list. Hundreds of volunteers facilitated demonstrations on online voter list checking and registration processes to ensure smooth accessibility and participation.
Tuning of Voters
In order to make the process more interesting and relatable for the Maharashtrian population, a Marathi Election Song, composed by Milind Ingale and sung by Rahul Saxena and Vaishali Made, was released to raise awareness. As part of a campaign to cleanse the voter list, a door-todoor survey was conducted to ensure accurate registration, residency validation, and identification of new voters within households. Interestingly, the survey revealed significant discrepancies – 11 lakh 50 thousand deceased voters, five lakh individuals who had relocated, and one lakh voters registered at multiple locations. These entities were removed after subsequent verification procedures. With an extensive use of a software to detect the instances of identical photographs among different voters and to verify demographic details helped eliminate over nine lakh duplicate entries. Approximately three lakh fifty thousand individuals were found registered in multiple constituencies which were eliminated from the lists. In total, over 20 lakh entries were detected, and this ongoing process remains vigilant in maintaining the integrity of the voter registration.
Collaborative Effort
For new voter registrations, the voter lists were publicly announced in the ‘Gram Sabhas’ to ensure inclusivity. Special provisions were made to register newly-wed women. These efforts gave some positive results, evident in the increased gender parity within the electorate – from 917 women voters per 1000 male voters, the ratio has now risen to 922.
Initially, only 4.8% of youths aged 18 to 19 years were registered voters. However, targeted voter registration drives held in colleges across Maharashtra, spearheaded by organizations like the WE Foundation, significantly improved this statistic. In Pune alone, about 1 lakh 25 thousand students were successfully added to the voter’s list. About 70% of the youth is yet to be registered on the voter list.
In the subsequent phase marginalized groups such as transgender individuals, commercial sex workers, homeless populations, and members of nomadic tribes were included in the voter list register. These communities often find themselves excluded from the electoral process due to a lack of documentation, awareness, or a reluctance to disclose their identities. Collaborative effort of various government agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) ensured they received necessary certificates, serving as valid documentation for voter registration.
Following this initiative, 47 thousand individuals from marginalized backgrounds were successfully enrolled as voters. These newly registered voters were provided with additional essential documents including caste certificates, ration cards, Aadhar cards, and voter cards to ensure their integration into the mainstream society.
Inclusive Integration
In the following procedure to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections, disclosure of assets and criminal records were made mandatory for each candidate. Political parties are now obligated to publish this information on their websites, as per directives from the Supreme Court of India. In addition, the Election Commission (EC) has mandated the dissemination of this information through three electronic and print media channels. If a candidate possesses a criminal background, political parties are required to provide explanations for their selection. Initiatives such as the ‘Know Your Candidate’ campaign further propel parties to nominate suitable candidates.
About 24 state and central enforcement agencies diligently monitor activities such as distribution of freebies, cash, drugs, and liquor during election campaigns in order to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. Each voter undergoes vulnerability mapping to identify those potentially facing pressure, or threats to provide legal assistance and police protection when necessary. Sensitive areas and police stations are given special attention to ensure voters remain free from any forceful decision making. Any instances of disinformation or misinformation from political parties or candidates are promptly reported to ensure strict adherence to the model code of conduct across all electoral processes.
Individual Cooperation
As per the new election model, student volunteers will undergo training prior to the actual voting process. In the days leading closes to the polling day, these students will be mobilized to engage directly with voters. Deshpande, as the CEO has already started such initiatives in select by-elections, collaborating with the WE Foundation to conduct house-to-house visits with student volunteers. In the upcoming elections, Deshpande plans to expand student involvement significantly, with volunteers stationed at polling booths to assist elderly citizens and manage queues. College ambassadors will be present in counting halls to provide assistance as needed. Comprehensive training will be provided to volunteers, explaining their roles and responsibilities.
It is not easy to create and manage the electoral system effectively in a country with huge population, different demographics and diverse cultures. Still, the Election Commission is keeping no stone unturned to bring all the sections of society in the electoral process and hold free, fair, and credible elections and working proactively towards it. It’s now our responsibility, as citizens of India to ensure that these efforts do not go in vain.
