Itanagar, Jul 10: State Governor Lt Gen (Retd) KT Parnaik on Friday said the future of democracy depends on making ballot access more inclusive, accessible and meaningful for every eligible citizen while firmly safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.
The Governor made the remarks while virtually participating in the International Conference on "Ballot Access by Political Parties and Candidates" at Lok Bhavan here. The conference was organised by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Arunachal Pradesh, under the guidance of the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi University.
Delivering the keynote address, the Governor said a clear understanding of existing challenges enables the formulation of more effective reforms and responsive policies. He urged stakeholders to approach electoral issues with sensitivity, empathy and an inclusive perspective to ensure governance remains people-centric and responsive to every citizen.
Drawing from his years in public service, Parnaik said institutions remain strong not merely because of authority but because of their willingness to learn, adapt and improve. He described the conference as a celebration of democracy's enduring values and said it reaffirmed the collective commitment to ensuring that every eligible citizen can participate in the democratic process, every genuine political voice is heard and democratic institutions remain fair, transparent and inclusive.
The Governor appreciated the Election Commission of India's proactive initiatives and lauded IIIDEM for bringing together election practitioners, technology experts, academicians, media professionals and international partners to deliberate on emerging challenges in election management. He also commended the participation of all 36 Chief Electoral Officer offices in thematic research on election management.
Highlighting India's role as the world's largest democracy, the Governor referred to initiatives such as the Atlas of Democracies of the World and ECI-Net as examples of India's commitment to innovation and international cooperation. He said hosting the deliberations in Arunachal Pradesh was significant, considering the state's rich cultural diversity and the ongoing electoral roll revision covering nearly 8.9 lakh electors.
The Governor stressed the need to harness technology to improve transparency, efficiency and public confidence in elections while remaining vigilant against emerging challenges.
He also underscored the importance of creating greater opportunities for women, youth, indigenous communities, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups to participate fully in democratic life, saying their aspirations and perspectives are essential for building stronger and more representative societies.
Calling for greater global cooperation, the Governor said election management bodies should share knowledge, exchange best practices and learn from one another's experiences to build resilient, innovative and responsive democratic institutions.
Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Liken Koyu, AP Administrative Reforms Commission Chairman Pramod Jain and Prof SK Nayak of RGU also addressed the conference.
The event featured technical presentations on various aspects of electoral management by officials and academicians, including East Kameng DC Yashaswani B, Longding DC Kunal Yadav, Keyi Panyor SP Angad Mehta, Prof Chandrachur Singh of Hindu College, Prof Rohit Dwivedi of IIM Shillong and Prof Vandana Mishra of JNU, followed by interactive discussions.
The conference was attended virtually by participants from several countries, including representatives from South Africa, Chief Electoral Officers from all states and Union Territories, District Election Officers and other election officials, while several participants attended the event in person.