Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal said that the Election Commission of India conducts elections in the world’s largest democracy in a fair and transparent manner, in which the Chief Electoral Officers of states and union territories play a crucial role. To gain insights into India's election management, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance organized a conference in Stockholm, where India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Sh. Gyanesh Kumar, delivered an address.
He also held bilateral discussions with representatives of various countries and interacted with members of the Indian diaspora residing in Sweden. He informed that the CEC reiterated the Election Commission’s focus on inclusive participation and civic engagement among Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs). He highlighted initiatives such as the online voter registration system and the Electronic Transmission of Postal Ballots Management System (ETPBS), aimed at enabling greater participation from overseas voters.
Sh. Gyanesh Kumar underlined India’s leadership in election management. The conference, being attended by over 100 participants representing nearly 50 countries, is organized by International IDEA in collaboration with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish Election Authority, and the Australian Electoral Commission.
He further informed that the countries whose Chief Election Commissioners held discussions with India’s CEC include the United Kingdom, South Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, Mongolia, Moldova, Lithuania, Mauritius, Germany, Ukraine, Croatia, and Switzerland. The key focus areas included combating disinformation, digital disruptions, electoral security, climate-related risks, and the role of artificial intelligence in elections.
The India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) is also emerging as a premier institution for excellence in electoral management. The Indian delegation also included senior officers of the Election Commission such as Sh. Rakesh Verma, Director General of IIIDEM, Sh. Vijay Kumar Pandey, Deputy Director General (Law) and Principal Secretary, Sh. Rahul Sharma.