In a major move to enhance voter convenience and transparency, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a significant upgrade to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections. Gone are the days of blurred black-and-white photos; voters will now see high-quality color photographs of the contesting candidates on the ballot unit.

Eliminating Voter Confusion The decision comes as part of the revised guidelines under Rule 49B of the Conduct of Elections Rules. Historically, voters, especially in rural pockets, faced difficulty in identifying candidates when multiple people shared similar names or when the monochrome prints were unclear. The new color portraits will ensure that every citizen can cast their vote with 100% certainty.

Key Highlights of the New Ballot Design:

• 75% Face Coverage: The candidate’s face will now occupy three-fourths of the allocated photo space for better recognition.
• Vivid Fonts: Names and symbols will be printed in larger, bolder, and clearer fonts to ensure high readability even in low-light conditions at polling booths.
• Standardized Colors: Pink-colored ballot papers will be used for the Assembly polls to maintain uniformity and clarity.

This “colorful” reform by the ECI is expected to curb the influence of “dummy” candidates and make the democratic process more user-friendly for the millions of voters heading to the booths this April.