New Delhi: The Election Commission of India hosts a two-day international Conference in New Delhi. The conference brings together representatives from Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of nearly 13 countries and international organizations for discussions on key issues of contemporary election management.
The conference on the theme ‘Global Election Year 2024: Reiteration of Democratic Spaces, Takeaway for EMBs’ is hosted by the ECI based on the varied experiences of EMBs in conducting elections in 2024, in India and the other countries.
Nearly 30 representatives from the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of 13 countries including Bhutan, Georgia, Namibia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Ireland, Mauritius, Philippines, Russian Federation, Tunisia, and Nepal are attending the Conference.
In his keynote address, CEC Rajiv Kumar reflected that 2024 was a defining year as a test for EMBs for reaffirmation of democratic values amidst challenging and complexities. He emphasized on the critical role of technology and digital innovations in enhancing efficiency, transparency and voter confidence. He added that while Technology offers significant opportunities, it also brings challenges like cybersecurity threats and misinformation. He urged EMBs to streamline strategies for addressing these technological challenges to effectively mitigate the risks.
Sounding a note of caution against fake narratives which erode trust in electoral processes, he said that such fake narratives are typically timed at crucial junctures of the election process to target its very vitals.
Election Management Bodies from Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Kazakhstan which made presentations on their electoral experience in 2024, placed their concerns regarding disinformation, misinformation and fake narratives on social media affecting electoral integrity in live elections.
CEC of Mauritius Abdool Rahman also stressed on the menace of fake news to undermine the electorate’s trust in the EMBs. Highlighting a particular case of Fake online applications for recruitment of election staff, Rahman expressed concern on use of technology and social media in intensifying the menace of misinformation and disinformation during elections.
A representative of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, while expressing concern about the rising trend of fake news, sought suggestions on tackling fake news on social media. Commissioner, General Election Commission of Indonesia Idhan Holik spoke about their experience of using a dedicated whats app channel to tackle misinformation in real time.