In a recent press conference, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar stated that the commission has only 800 permanent employees. Such a move has further eroded public trust as it makes the electoral process less transparent. How to improve the processIn the current voting process, voters cast their vote on an EVM, which is simultaneously registered electronically and on a paper ballot. Given the numerous questions raised about the ECI’s conduct, it is imperative that the Commission bring greater transparency to both voter list preparation and vote counting. Simultaneously, political parties must improve their training programmes for agents to ensure they are fully informed and equipped to monitor the entire election process.