CEC Gyanesh Kumar addresses delegates from 12 nations on electoral resilience
New Delhi, May 25
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday kicked off a five-day workshop on "Risk Management and Electoral Resilience" for delegates of 12 nations at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, said an official.
The workshop on "Risk Management and Electoral Resilience" from May 25 to 29 has been organised by the Election Commission of India (ECI), in collaboration with International IDEA under India's Chairship Programme 2026, said a statement
CEC Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, addressed the participants during the inaugural session.
The workshop is aimed at strengthening institutional preparedness and resilience in electoral processes and to support Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) in developing and institutionalising structured electoral risk management frameworks, policies, and operational systems, said the statement.
The participants comprise Election Commissioners and senior officials of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) representing 12 countries, electoral managers, risk management and technology professionals, and officials engaged in crisis management and electoral integrity initiatives.
The participants discussed the need for proactive identification, assessment, and management of electoral risks to safeguard electoral integrity, continuity, legitimacy, and public trust in an increasingly complex risk environment, the statement said.
The workshop covered thematic areas including foundations of electoral risk management, electoral integrity and safeguards, risk identification and assessment, resilience and crisis management, inter-agency coordination and strategic planning, it said.
The workshop also includes practical demonstrations and exercises on the Electoral Risk Management Tool (ERMTool), including customisation of risk factor libraries, Risk and Action Registers (RAR), analytical instruments, and resource portals, it said.
The programme also includes field exposure visits and institutional interaction aimed at understanding ground-level electoral planning, coordination mechanisms, and practical approaches to risk mitigation, said the statement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive initiative by ECI. But I hope they also focus on internal risks like fake news and social media manipulation, not just external threats. The ground-level exposure visits are a good step—seeing is believing!
As someone who follows global electoral trends, India's experience is invaluable. The concept of "risk management" in elections is often overlooked. This workshop could set a benchmark for EMBs worldwide. Hope to see tangible outcomes.
Good step, but I'd like to see more transparency in how election risks are actually assessed in India. We hear about EVM issues and voter intimidation in some areas—does this workshop address those ground realities? The theory is fine, but implementation matters.
Proud of India's role in global democracy building. The inclusion of field visits is crucial—you can't manage electoral risks from an air-conditioned room. It's about connecting with booth-level officers and local issues. Hope the delegates take back real insights! 😊
"Risk Management and Electoral Resilience"—sounds like a buzzword seminar. But given India's scale, we actually need this. 12 nations is decent, but why not involve more African or smaller Asian countries? They could benefit most from our experience. Still, good initiative overall.
J James A