New Delhi: Media representatives from Odisha participated in the “All India Media Conference 2026” organized by the Election Commission of India at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi.
Addressing the delegates, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the electoral process in India is conducted entirely in accordance with the Constitution, election laws and the guidelines issued by the ECI from time to time. He added that the entire process is reviewed and audited by all stakeholders involved.
Highlighting voter trust, Kumar said the all-time highest voter turnout in the recently concluded assembly elections proves that Indian voters have immense faith in the country’s electoral system, reflecting the vibrancy of Indian democracy. He also expressed gratitude to all voters for participating in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The main objective of the conference is to create a clear understanding of how elections in India are conducted with utmost transparency, involving key stakeholders like political parties, candidates and the media. Ashish Goel, Director General (Media), ECI, described the media as a “powerful bridge” between the Election Commission and voters.
This year’s conference was held on the theme “Connecting stakeholders, strengthening democracy: Role of media in elections”. Discussions focused on the media’s role in making the democratic system more efficient and in educating voters with accurate and impartial information during elections.
Emphasis was laid on how the media can reach people with accurate information during upcoming elections and play an important role in creating awareness among voters. Senior journalists were trained to educate the public about the Special Intensive Revision of the voter list and to provide clear information through the media.
A strategy was also prepared to identify and immediately deal with false and misleading news being circulated through social media or other means during elections. The media was requested to maintain its credibility and to verify the veracity of any information before publishing or circulating news.
Eminent media representatives and editors from different parts of the country gathered on the platform and shared their views and experiences on the electoral system, dissemination of accurate information and the role of the media in a healthy democratic process. Special emphasis was given to increasing voter participation and fulfilling the media’s duty as the fourth pillar of democracy.
Nine senior journalists from Odisha participated in the conference under the leadership of Dinamani Nayak from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha. The delegation included Jyoti Prakash Das, Ravi Narayan Jena, Jajati Karan, Ajit Dehury, Chaudhary Amitav Das, Shaktisai Mishra, Mukesh Ranjan Parida, Abhijit Samantaray and Jajati Keshari Rout.
