ECI Holds National Conference of Counsels to Strengthen Legal Framework
New Delhi, May 30 (TNT): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday convened the second National Conference of Counsels representing the Commission, aimed at further strengthening its legal framework and strategy in addressing electoral and legal challenges.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar inaugurated the conference at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi in the presence of Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
Addressing the gathering, Gyanesh Kumar stressed the importance of electoral roll management, stating that “fair rolls lead to fair polls.”
He described Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) as the foot soldiers of electoral roll management and congratulated electors in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for their participation.
He also highlighted the high level of electoral contestation witnessed during the elections and commended the Commission’s legal counsels for effectively representing ECI before courts across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said the conference would further strengthen coordination between the Commission and its legal representatives nationwide.
Vivek Joshi said the event would provide an important forum for sharing experiences and deliberating on emerging legal challenges, helping formulate effective legal strategies to uphold electoral integrity in a dynamic electoral environment.
The one-day conference was organised around the theme, “A Year of Legal Challenges, Experiences, Learnings and the Way Forward.”
Interactive sessions were held on key electoral processes, including electoral roll management, Special Intensive Revision (SIR), polling and counting procedures, and demonstrations of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The programme also featured experience-sharing sessions by advocates and discussions on election laws, judicial proceedings, legal reforms, institutional coordination, media narratives and the Commission’s technology-driven initiatives, including ECINET.
According to the ECI, the conference builds upon the outcomes of the inaugural National Conference of Counsels held in 2025 and provides an opportunity to review progress, exchange insights and identify priorities for further strengthening the Commission’s legal framework.
The conference was attended by advocates representing the Commission before the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts, along with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and senior ECI officials.
TNT KS
