Ahmedabad is set to host an international symposium on electoral transparency, bringing together election officials, legal experts, academics, and international delegates to discuss the role of political parties in overseeing the electoral process. The thematic symposium, titled “Electoral Transparency: Political Parties as Concurrent Auditors,” will be organized by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Gujarat at Nirma University on July 21 in collaboration with the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) and other institutions.
The symposium aims to enhance transparency, credibility, and accountability in democratic elections by examining how political parties contribute as electoral contestants and key stakeholders throughout the election process. Officials highlight the crucial role of political parties in various election stages, ensuring continuous monitoring and verification of electoral procedures through their representatives and polling agents.
Participants at the event will include Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer Sandeep Sagale, Rajasthan Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan, election administration representatives from Chhattisgarh, and delegates from the Philippines’ election management sector. The symposium will feature discussions on topics such as institutional frameworks, neutrality, political party-based oversight, transparency, public trust, auditability in technology-driven election management, and mechanisms for strengthening accountability through effective election observation.
The symposium will provide a platform for Indian states and international delegates to exchange experiences and approaches to electoral transparency. It will draw on the international and operational experiences of election management representatives, along with academic and legal perspectives, to identify challenges, best practices, and policy recommendations for enhancing transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the electoral process.
