New Delhi witnessed a landmark gathering on February 24, 2026, as the Election Commission of India (ECI) convened a National Roundtable Conference with State Election Commissioners at Bharat Mandapam. Under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the event brought together Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, alongside representatives from all states and Union Territories.
State Election Commissioners attended with their legal and technical experts, joined by Chief Electoral Officers, underscoring the conference’s significance in bolstering India’s electoral framework. The discussions zeroed in on preparing pure electoral rolls, hailed as the bedrock of democracy.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that conducting elections efficiently and transparently fortifies democratic institutions. He advocated for enhanced coordination between the ECI and state bodies in the national and constitutional interest, proposing shared access to cutting-edge resources like the ECI-Net digital platform, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), voter lists, and the India Election Management Institute.
A key proposal involved aligning laws governing panchayat and municipal elections with those for parliamentary and state assembly polls. The ECI urged state commissioners to engage actively in international electoral activities and suggested annual roundtables, ideally synchronized with ECI-led global meetings.
All suggestions from state commissioners will undergo detailed review by joint teams of legal and technical experts from relevant ECI departments. Within the next three months, state-specific action plans will be formulated and submitted to the ECI to ensure decisions serve the nation’s best interests.
This conference marks a pivotal step toward cooperative federalism, promising greater technical and legal synergy in election management. It lays a stronger foundation for India’s vibrant democracy, ensuring fairer and more robust electoral processes.