eci-hosts-national-roundtable-conference-with-secs-in-27-yrs

Bringing together the Election Commission of India and State Election Commissioners, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday convened a National Round Table Conference with State Election Commissioners at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, marking the first such meeting in 27 years. The conference will focus on sharing of technology, EVMs and Electoral Rolls, besides strengthening electoral processes across the country.

 

The conference is being chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi also attending. State Election Commissioners from all states and Union Territories are participating, along with their legal and technical experts.

 

Chief Electoral Officers from all 36 states and Union Territories, including Gujarat, are also present at the conference. The last meeting of this nature was held in 1999.

 

According to the ECI, the conference aims to strengthen coordination between the national poll body and State Election Commissions on electoral processes and logistics, while reinforcing the spirit of cooperative federalism in the conduct of elections.

 

The agenda includes discussions on the exchange of technological practices, the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and steps to further improve the accuracy and robustness of electoral rolls. A presentation on the recently launched digital platform ECINET is also scheduled.

 

The transparency and security features of EVMs will be explained in detail during the deliberations. In addition, a comparative presentation will be made on voter eligibility provisions across states and Union Territories in the context of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

 

The objective is to enable a structured discussion on the legal framework governing the preparation and revision of electoral rolls across different jurisdictions.

 

State Election Commissions were constituted under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. Under Articles 243K and 243ZA of the Constitution of India, SECs are responsible for conducting elections to panchayats and municipalities.

 

The conference is expected to provide a platform for institutional dialogue between the ECI and State Election Commissions on administrative, legal and technological aspects of election management.