**Election Commission of India (ECI) Enhances Engagement with Political Parties**
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has undertaken a proactive initiative to strengthen the electoral process through structured interactions with recognized National and State political parties. Spearheaded by Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar, with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, the ECI conducted 4,719 meetings: 40 by Chief Election Officers (CEOs), 800 by District Election Officers (DEOs), and 3,879 by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), engaging over 28,000 representatives from various political parties.
In May 2025, the ECI convened meetings with the heads or authorized representatives of five out of six recognized National Parties, including Bahujan Samaj Party (May 6), Bharatiya Janata Party (May 8), Communist Party of India-Marxist (May 10), National People's Party (May 13), and Aam Aadmi Party (May 15). An invitation was extended to Indian National Congress (INC) (May 15), but the party requested deferral and did not reply to subsequent communications from ECI for rescheduling.
Subsequently, in July and August 2025, the ECI interacted with 17 recognized State political parties, including All India Trinamool Congress (July 1), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (July 3), Samajwadi Party (July 3), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (July 7), Telugu Desam Party (July 15), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (July 17), Communist Party of India Marxist Leninist Liberation (July 22), Tipra Motha Party (July 23), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (July 24), Shiv Sena (July 29), Janata Dal United (July 31), Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (August 1), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (August 5), Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas (August 7), Nationalist Congress Party (August 12), Biju Janata Dal (August 19), and Janata Dal Secular (August 21). Meetings with remaining political parties are underway. This initiative represents a shift from reactive interactions prompted by political party representations to proactive engagement.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body responsible for administering elections in India.
Chief Election Commissioner: The head of the Election Commission of India.
Gyanesh Kumar: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) mentioned in the document.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu: Election Commissioner mentioned in the document.
Vivek Joshi: Election Commissioner mentioned in the document.
National Political Parties: Recognized political parties that operate at the national level in India.
State Political Parties: Recognized political parties that operate at the state level in India.
Delhi: Location where the Press Information Bureau (PIB) posted the information. Delhi is a state in India.
Election Commission
ECI’s extensive structured interaction with Political
Parties continues
Posted On: 25 AUG 2025 4:31PM by PIB Delhi
1. ECI during the past six months has addressed the long-felt need for constructive discussions with the
National and State Political Parties across all levels, by having several rounds of meetings with the
representatives of all recognised Political Parties in a structured manner.
2. These meetings were envisaged by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar in the
presence of Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi at the Conference
of Chief Election Officers (CEOs) held in March, 2025. Accordingly, 4,719 structured meetings with all
political were conducted comprising of 40 meetings by CEOs, 800 by DEOs, and 3,879 by EROs
engaging over 28,000 representatives of various political parties.
3. Thereafter, the heads of all 6 recognized National Parties were invited and the Commission has already
held meetings with the party heads/ authorized representatives of 5 National parties in May 2025
(details annexed). These meetings provide a platform for Party heads to share their suggestions and
concerns directly with the Commission. These meetings are in addition to the meetings of ECI with
other delegations of political parties on their request.
4. Subsequently, the Commission has also interacted with 17 recognised State political parties during the
months of July and August 2025 (details annexed). The process of meeting with the remaining political
parties is underway.
5. These proactive meetings are a new initiative by the Commission and a departure from the earlier mode
of interaction with political parties which were prompted solely by the representation from political
parties.
6. This initiative aligns with the Commission’s broader vision of further strengthening the electoral
process in accordance with the existing legal framework with all stakeholders.
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PK/GDH/RP
ANNEXURE
Recognised National Party
D a t e o f
Name of the
Sl. m e e t i n g
P o l i t i c a l Status of the meeting
No. convened/invit
Party
ed
Bahujan Samaj
1. Km. Mayawati (National President) May 06, 2025
Party
B h a r a t i y a
2. Shri. Jagat Prakash Nadda (National President) May 08, 2025
Janata Party
Communist
3. Party of India Shri M.A. Baby (General Secretary) May 10, 2025(Marxist)
N a t i o n a l
4. Shri Conrad K. Sangma (National President) May 13, 2025
People’s Party
Aam Aadmi
5. Shri Arvind Kejriwal (National Convenor) May 15, 2025
Party
I n v i t e
extended to
I n d i a n The Party requested deferral and did not reply to
President,
6. N a t i o n a l subsequent communications from ECI for
INC for
Congress rescheduling.
May 15,
2025
Recognised State Party
Ms.
All India
Chandrima
7. Trinamool Bhattacharya (Authorised July 1, 2025
Representativ
Congress
e)
Y u v a j a n a
8. Sramika Rythu Shri Y.V Subba Reddy July 3,2025
Congress Party
Samajwadi Shri Ramgopal Yadav (Secretary General and
9. July 3, 2025
Party Authorised Representative)
All India
M a j l i s - e -
10. I t t e h a d u l Shri Asaduddin Owaisi (National President) July 7, 2025
Muslimeen
Party
Telugu Desam
11. Shri Palla Srinivasa Rao (State President) July 15, 2025
Party
D r a v i d a
12. M u n n e t r a Shri N.R. Elango July 17, 2025
Kazhagam
Communist
Party of India
13. ( M a r x i s t - Shri Sanjay Sharma (Authorised representative) July 22,2025
L e n i n i s t )
(Liberation)
Tipra Motha
14. Shri. Brishaketu Debbarma (General Secretary) July 23, 2025
Party
A l l
I n d i a
A n n a
Dravid
15. a Shri. Shanmugam (Authorised Representative) July 24, 2025
Munnet
r a
Kazhag
am
16. Shiv Sena Shri. Uday Samant July 29, 2025
17. Janata Dal Mr. Afaque Ahmad Khan (Authorised July 31, 2025(United) Representative)
Indigenous
18. People's Front Sh. Prem Kumar Reang (Party President) August 1, 2025
of Tripura
Bharat Rashtra Sh. Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (Working
19. August 5, 2025
Samithi President)
Lok Janshakti
20. Party (Ram Sh. A.K. Bajpayee (Vice President) August 7, 2025
Vilas)
Shri.
Nationalist Brijmohan August 12,
21. Shrivastav (Authorised
Congress Party Representative 2025
)
Biju Janata Sh. Debi Prasad Mishra (Sr. Vice-President and August 19,
22.
Dal Authorised representative) 2025
Janata Dal Sh. K.R. Shivakumar (National General Secretary August 21,
23.
(Secular) and Authorised Representative) 2025
******
(Release ID: 2160577)