After a gap of nearly three decades, the Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold a National Round Table Conference with State Election Commissioners on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The conference, being organised for the first time since 1999, is aimed at strengthening coordination and cooperation between the national and state-level election authorities.
According to an ECI spokesperson, the day-long meeting will be chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in the presence of Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. Election Commissioners from all states and Union Territories will attend, accompanied by their legal and technical experts. Chief Electoral Officers of all 36 states and Union Territories are also expected to participate.
The conference is being convened to foster closer synergy between the ECI and State Election Commissions within their respective constitutional and legal frameworks. Officials said the deliberations are intended to encourage constructive exchanges of ideas and reinforce the spirit of cooperative federalism in electoral management, particularly at a time when elections are becoming increasingly complex and technology-driven.
Discussions during the conference will focus on sharing technological resources, including Electronic Voting Machines and electoral rolls, as well as on strengthening operational processes. Senior officials of the Commission will deliver presentations on major technological and administrative initiatives, including the recently launched ECINET digital platform, highlighting its potential to streamline and integrate electoral services across jurisdictions.
Special emphasis will be placed on the robustness, transparency, and security features of Electronic Voting Machines, with presentations outlining existing safeguards and procedures. Officials will also present a comparative analysis of state and Union Territory-wise voter eligibility in reference to the Representation of the People Act, 1950, to facilitate informed dialogue on the legal foundations of electoral roll preparation.
State Election Commissions function under laws enacted by their respective states, in line with the enabling provisions of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. They are entrusted with the supervision, direction, and control of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to Panchayats and Municipal Bodies under Articles 243K and 243ZA of the Constitution.
The revival of the national round table after 27 years reflects an institutional effort to build stronger bridges between different tiers of election administration. By bringing together policymakers, administrators, and technical experts on a common platform, the ECI aims to promote consistency, transparency, and mutual learning in electoral practices across the country.
The conference, is expected to set the tone for closer collaboration between national and state election bodies in the years ahead, reinforcing public confidence in India’s democratic processes.
