The Election Commission has endorsed the suggestion to have photographs of electoral candidates pasted on Electronic Voting Machines for enhancing convenience of voters.Responding to a PIl that floated the idea of having the photographs of contesting candidates pasted outside the polling booth and the voting machine as well, the Commission filed an affidavit in Supreme Court supporting the concept. However, it cited certain practical constraints to get it implemented and promised to positively consider the suggestion.

A Bench headed by Justice MY Eqbal noted the stand of the EC and sought response of the Centre to the PIl filed by one Akash Gehlot. The EC affidavit said, “The printing of the photograph of the candidates along with other particulars is a good suggestion and the same has been proposed by the Election Commission of India in a recent meeting held with the Chief Electoral Officers of the states.”

However, the Commission also cited the constraints that may follow. The first being the space constraint as the there is fixed measurement for the ballot sheet to fit into the machine display panel. Currently this panel carries only the name, party and symbol of candidates. The other difficulties encountered will be to fit persons with long names and where machines must appear with more than two languages. The Commission assured the Court of treating the suggestion “positively” after examining each and every aspect in detail and will thereafter try to implement the proposal.