ECI holds first All-India Media Conference to enhance understanding of electoral process

he Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday organised its first All India Media Conference 2026, bringing together more than 380 media professionals from States and Union Territories under the theme, “Connecting stakeholders, strengthening democracy: Role of media in elections.” The conference emphasized improving public understanding of India’s electoral processes and the safeguards ensuring transparency.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said elections in India are conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution, the Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951, and the instructions issued by the Election Commission from time to time.

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“Elections in India are held according to the Constitution of India, Electoral Laws and instructions of the Election Commission of India issued from time to time,” he said, adding that “the entire electoral process is concurrently audited by the stakeholders involved in the electoral processes in India.”

Highlighting the robustness of the country’s electoral rolls, the Chief Election Commissioner described them as a dynamic and continuously evolving document.
“India’s Electoral Rolls with nearly 95 crore Indians is a living document which is dynamically evolving with time,” he said.

Referring to the statutory safeguards governing the preparation of electoral rolls, Gyanesh Kumar said more than 12 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and over 15 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) actively participate in the exercise as “concurrent auditors,” helping maintain transparency and accuracy in the electoral process.

Pointing to the record voter participation witnessed in the recent Assembly elections, he said the high turnout reflected the confidence of Indian voters in the country’s democratic institutions. “The highest-ever poll participation in the recent Assembly Elections is a proof of the trust the Indian electors have in the country’s electoral system and the vibrancy of the Indian democracy,” he said. He also thanked voters across the country for their participation in the Special Intensive Revision process.

According to the Election Commission, the conference was organised to promote an informed understanding of various aspects of election management and to familiarise media professionals with the mechanisms through which elections are conducted transparently with the participation of political parties, candidates and other stakeholders.
The inaugural sessions provided participants with an overview of constitutional provisions governing elections, the Representation of the People Acts, transparency measures adopted by the Commission, the ECINET digital platform, the use of technology in elections and legal provisions relating to media during the electoral process.

Media professionals were also briefed on the roles and responsibilities of Booth Level Agents, Polling Agents and Counting Agents, with the Commission highlighting their contribution in ensuring transparency, facilitating political party participation and functioning as concurrent auditors at different stages of the electoral process.
As part of the programme, participants attended demonstrations on electoral roll preparation, polling procedures and the counting process in smaller groups. The Commission said the hands-on sessions enabled journalists to understand the statutory forms and procedures that underpin the electoral process and the checks built into it through multiple stakeholders.

The conference concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session in which participants engaged directly with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on various aspects of election management and the Commission’s functioning.