ECI and State Election Bodies Vow Annual Coordination for Stronger Polls

The conference, organised by the Election Commission of India, concluded on Tuesday and saw participation from State Election Commissioners of 30 states.

It was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in the presence of Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

According to the poll panel, the conference was held successfully after a gap of 27 years and was widely appreciated by the participating State Election Commissioners.

Both the Election Commission of India and the state poll bodies agreed to hold such round table meetings annually to enhance coordination between institutions responsible for conducting elections at various levels.

During the conference, all State Election Commissions adopted the National Declaration 2026, affirming that accurate and updated electoral rolls form the bedrock of democracy and that transparent, free and efficient elections strengthen democratic institutions.

In the national interest, the poll panel proposed developing mutually acceptable mechanisms and legally viable frameworks to improve coordination in election-related processes across the country.

These measures include sharing of the ECINET platform, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), electoral rolls, and the training infrastructure available at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM). The declaration also emphasised the need to harmonise laws governing elections to Panchayats and Municipal Bodies with those applicable to Parliament and State Legislatures.

The poll panel further invited State Election Commissions to participate in its international engagements related to election management.

Suggestions received during the conference will be examined by a joint team of legal and technical officers led by Deputy Election Commissioners, with a state and Union Territory-wise roadmap to be submitted within three months for appropriate action.

- IANS