New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) In a move to enhance voter convenience, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that will ensure Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) are delivered within 15 days of any update in the electoral rolls.

The reform is part of a series of citizen-centric measures being rolled out by the ECI under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi.

The initiative is geared towards minimising delays, enhancing transparency, and delivering efficient, timely, and trackable voter services.

Under the new SOP, the entire process — from the generation of the EPIC by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to its delivery at the voter’s doorstep — will be digitally tracked. Voters will receive real-time SMS updates at every stage of the delivery process.

To support this, the ECI has deployed a dedicated IT module within its recently launched ECINet platform, replacing the older system and reengineering the workflow to increase operational efficiency.

The Department of Posts (DoP) will continue to handle the physical delivery of EPICs. For seamless coordination and real-time visibility, the DoP’s Application Programming Interface (API) will be integrated with the ECINet platform, enabling smooth data exchange and status tracking.

This initiative not only ensures quicker delivery but also reinforces the Commission’s commitment to data security and integrity. Every update made in the electoral roll — whether through online submission or physical forms — will now automatically trigger the EPIC generation and dispatch workflow.

“Providing prompt and efficient electoral services to voters is a top priority for the Commission,” an ECI statement said, adding that the overhaul reflects the Commission’s renewed focus on digital transformation and voter-first policies.

Over the past four months, the Election Commission has launched several initiatives to modernise and simplify electoral services.

This latest SOP is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and boost voter satisfaction.

–IANS

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