Election commissioners discuss strengthening local democracy; Chhattisgarh Local Body Election Year Book 2026 released
TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 16, 2026: The 32nd All India Conference of State Election Commissioners began in Naya Raipur on Wednesday, bringing together election authorities and experts to deliberate on ways to make elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies more transparent, inclusive and participatory.
The two-day conference, being hosted by the Chhattisgarh State Election Commission, was inaugurated by Governor Ramen Deka. Chhattisgarh State Election Commissioner Ajay Singh, Standing Committee chairman Vijay Dev, convener Sudhanshu Pandey and Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel were among those present.
On the occasion, Mr Deka released the first edition of the Chhattisgarh Local Body Election Year Book – 2026.
State Election Commissioners from different parts of the country are participating in the conference, which is being held annually in different States. Discussions are focusing on strengthening the three-tier Panchayati Raj system and urban local bodies and making local elections more empowered, credible, transparent and participatory.
Bastar’s local democracy highlighted
A key presentation at the conference focused on the progress of local democracy in Naxal-affected Bastar during the 25 years since the formation of Chhattisgarh.
State Election Commission Secretary Shikha Rajput Tiwari, under the guidance of Mr Singh, presented the State’s experience of conducting local body elections in the Bastar region, where difficult terrain, extensive forest areas, limited communication infrastructure and the impact of Left-Wing Extremism have posed administrative and logistical challenges.
The presentation highlighted the role of the administration, police, security forces, election officials and local communities in strengthening the electoral process in the region. It also referred to the simultaneous elections to urban local bodies and three-tier Panchayats held across Chhattisgarh, including Bastar, in 2025, during which no repoll was required.
Technology in focus
The conference also featured presentations on the use of technology in local elections. Representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Kerala shared experiences on EVM-sharing and tracking systems, election management software, technology-enabled Panchayat delimitation and the digitisation of electoral processes.
The session included discussions on paperless delimitation and the use of digital tools to improve the efficiency of election management.
An international expert on democratic elections from Princeton University, New Jersey, is also participating in the conference and presented findings from a comparative study of local elections across Indian States.
Experts from Electronics Corporation of India Limited, Hyderabad, and Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru, also briefed participants on EVM technology and developments. According to the conference organisers, the two public sector undertakings are working on continued technological improvements and developing EVM systems in accordance with the requirements of State Election Commissions.
The conference provides a platform for State Election Commissioners to exchange experiences, discuss operational challenges and examine technological and administrative measures aimed at strengthening local democracy.
