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ECI Hosts Historic National Conference of State Election Commissioners After 25 Years

The Election Commission of India will host a landmark National Conference of State Election Commissioners on February 24, the first such gathering in over 25 years. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will chair the event alongside Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi. The conference aims to enhance collaboration on electoral processes, legal frameworks, and technological tools like EVMs and the ECINET platform. State Election Commissioners and Chief Electoral Officers from all states and UTs will participate in the deliberations.

Key Points: ECI National Conference of State Election Commissioners Feb 24

  • First conference in over 25 years
  • Focus on electoral laws and tech
  • Aims for stronger election administration
  • Discusses EVMs and ECINET platform
2 min read

ECI to host national conference of State Election Commissioners on Feb 24

ECI hosts first national conference of State Election Commissioners in 25+ years to strengthen electoral synergy, technology, and legal frameworks.

"to build greater synergy between the ECI and the State Election Commissions - Official Statement"

New Delhi, Feb 4

The Election Commission of India will host a National Conference of State Election Commissioners on February 24 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, an official statement said on Wednesday.

State Election Commissioners from all States and Union Territories are expected to participate in the conference, which is being held after a gap of more than 25 years. The last National SEC Conference was organised in 1999.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will chair the conference, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi. The CEC and Election Commissioners will address the State Election Commissioners during the inaugural session.

According to the statement, the conference will see participation from State Election Commissioners, accompanied by their legal and technical experts. Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the Election Commission of India from all 36 States and Union Territories will also attend the deliberations.

The primary objective of the conference, the statement said, is to build greater synergy between the ECI and the State Election Commissions in the conduct of elections, electoral processes, and logistical management, while respecting their distinct constitutional and legal mandates.

Participants will engage in focussed discussion sessions on key issues, including electoral laws governing voter eligibility in States and Union Territories, technological interventions introduced by the ECI, such as the recently launched ECINET digital platform, the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and other emerging challenges in election administration.

The ECI will also share its institutional experience in the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections in accordance with the Constitution of India and the country's legal framework, to support and strengthen State Election Commissions.

State Election Commissions are constituted under State laws in accordance with the provisions of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. They are vested with the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, elections to Panchayats and Municipal Bodies.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great initiative. Local body elections often don't get the same attention as Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha. Sharing tech like ECINET can really help at the grassroots level. More power to our election machinery!
R
Rohit P
While the conference is a good idea, I hope it's not just a talk shop. There are real issues - bogus voting in panchayat polls, misuse of money power. Need actionable outcomes, not just discussions.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see this level of institutional coordination. As an observer, India's electoral process is impressive in scale. Sharing best practices from national to local level makes perfect sense.
V
Vikram M
Finally! The gap of 25 years shows how neglected this coordination was. Panchayats are where democracy actually touches the people. Strengthening SECs is strengthening democracy at its roots. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
Hope they standardise the use of technology. In some states, local elections are still very manual and prone to errors. EVMs and digital rolls should be the norm everywhere for fairness.

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