The Election Commission of India hosts a two day international Conference in New Delhi. The conference brings together representatives from Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of nearly 13 countries and international organizations for discussions on key issues of contemporary election management. The conference on the theme ‘Global Election Year 2024: Reiteration of Democratic Spaces, Takeaway for EMBs’ is hosted by the ECI based on the varied experiences of EMBs in conducting elections in 2024, in India and the other countries.

Heads and Deputy Heads of EMBs including Mr. Abdool Rehman Mohammad Irfan, Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mr. Dasho Sonam Tapgay, CEC of Bhutan; Mr. Nurlan Abdirov, Chairman & CEC of Republic of Kazakhstan; Mr. Dinesh K. Thapaliya, CEC of Nepal; Ms. Elsie Nghikembua, Chairperson, Electoral Commission of Namibia;  Mr. Idham Holik, Commissioner of General Elections Commission Indonesia, Ms. Elmira Khaymurzina, Russian Federation; Ms. Anusuya Shanmuganathan, Sri Lanka; Ms. Najla Abrougui from Tunisia & Mr. Bakhrom Kuchkarov, Uzbekistan and representatives from international organizations like Mr. Anthony Nathan Banbury, President & CEO of International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and Mr. In-sik-Jang, Secretary General A-WEB and International IDEA are participating in the conference.

Nearly 30 representatives from the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of 13 countries including Bhutan, Georgia, Namibia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Ireland, Mauritius, Philippines, Russian Federation, Tunisia, and Nepal are attending.

In his keynote address, CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar reflected that 2024 was a defining year as a test for EMBs for reaffirmation of democratic values amidst challenging and complexities. He emphasized on the critical role of technology and digital innovations in enhancing efficiency, transparency and voter confidence. He added that while Technology offers significant opportunities, it also brings challenges like cybersecurity threats and misinformation. He urged EMBs to streamline strategies for addressing these technological challenges to effectively mitigate the risks.

Sounding a note of caution against fake narratives which erode trust in electoral processes, he said that such fake narratives are typically timed at crucial junctures of the election process to target its very vitals.

Election Management Bodies from Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Kazakhstan which made presentations on their electoral experience in 2024, placed their concerns regarding disinformation, misinformation and fake narratives on social media affecting electoral integrity in live elections. CEC of Mauritius Mr. Abdool Rahman also stressed on the menace of fake news to undermine the electorate’s trust in the EMBs. Highlighting a particular case of Fake online applications for recruitment of election staff, Mr. Rahman expressed concern on use of technology and social media in intensifying the menace of misinformation and disinformation during elections. A representative of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, while expressing concern about the rising trend of fake news, sought suggestions on tackling fake news on social media. Commissioner, General Election Commission of Indonesia Mr. Idhan Holik spoke about their experience of using a dedicated whats app channel to tackle misinformation in real time.

Further, CEC Kumar also outlined key trends shaping the future of elections, including AI-driven processes, online and remote voting, biometric authentication and increased global collaboration and called all participants to explore the opportunities with technological advancements in making elections more transparent, inclusive and accessible. He underscored the role of EMBs in not only safeguarding electoral processes globally but also expanding their reach and impact.

Highlighting India’s historic general elections with a record participation of 647 million voters and over one million polling stations, CEC Kumar said that the elections were also more inclusive with greater participation especially among women, elderly aged 85+, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and the third gender.

Link to Keynote address by CEC : https://youtu.be/WzmVVtA4thU

CEC Kumar underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in capacity building and global cooperation as vital to safeguarding democratic processes and strengthening election management worldwide.

Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar, in the first session on major learnings, presented the case of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 underlining the scale, complexity and quality of the Indian Lok Sabha Elections.  He said that despite the magnitude of the challenge, the election process upheld quality and set new benchmarks in the conduct of elections globally.

Speaking in the session on role of technology in elections management - opportunities and challenges, Mr. Dasho Sonam Topgay, CEC of Bhutan thanked India for providing EVMs and lauded the process efficiencies brought in by EVMs since their use in the election in Bhutan. He added that EVMs have won the trust of people in Bhutan. Speaking on Digital IDs, Mr. Topgay said that Bhutan has a biometric Unified National ID which is used for voter authentication. He added that Bhutan is exploring the possibility of online voting in future elections.

The first day of the conference features multiple sessions - The role of technology in election management, social media platforms and their impact on election management, promoting electoral equity for inclusive and accessible elections, and the importance of capacity building, training, and international cooperation.

On the second day, a session will be held on the ‘Future of Elections’ for the democracies and will culminate in an ‘Outcome Document/ Declaration’ to imprint the shared commitment for better synergy and strengthening of elections and electoral democracies.

For more details, please see updates on ECI social media platforms

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