237/2026-2027

17th July, 2026: A delegation of journalists from Mizoram, led by Joint Chief Electoral Officer (Joint CEO) Pi Ethel Rothangpuii, today participated in the All India Media Conference 2026 organised by the Election Commission of India (ECI) at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi.

The one-day conference brought together journalists and State Media Nodal Officers from all States and Union Territories (UTs). The conference was organised in recognition of the crucial role played by journalists in a democracy, with the objective of strengthening collaboration between the Election Commission and the media to ensure wider dissemination of accurate election-related information and to effectively combat misinformation and disinformation. The theme of this year's conference was "Connecting Stakeholders, Strengthening Democracy: The Role of Media in Elections."

The conference is organised to provide media professionals from across the country with a better understanding of the preparation of Electoral Rolls, polling and counting procedures, constitutional and legal provisions governing elections, and the election management process. It also aims to strengthen interaction between the media, election officials, subject experts and senior officers of the Election Commission. Sessions during the conference were conducted by the Director General (Media), Director General (Information Technology), and the Deputy Director General (Law) of the ECI. Topics covered included the ECINET platform and the role of Information Technology in elections, the role of the media in elections, and important election laws and recent court judgments.

Shri Ashish Goyal, Director General (Media), highlighted the close partnership between the Election Commission and the media in the conduct of elections. He emphasised the media's vital responsibility in ensuring that citizens receive accurate, reliable and timely information, and said that the media and the Election Commission must work together to counter misinformation and disinformation. Referring to India as the world's largest democracy, he noted that conducting elections on such a massive scale is a challenging task, making strong cooperation between the Commission and the media indispensable.

Dr. Seema Khanna, Director General (Information Technology), spoke on the Commission's initiatives to leverage technology to make election-related information more accessible to the public. She encouraged media professionals to make effective use of the ECINET platform to access comprehensive and authentic information on the electoral process across all States.

Participants also took part in group-based practical demonstrations on the preparation of Electoral Rolls, various stages of the polling process, and the counting of votes, followed by interactive discussions. In the afternoon, they attended an interactive session with Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi.

The Mizoram delegation comprised Joint Chief Electoral Officer Pi Ethel Rothangpuii, State Media Nodal Officer Pi Lalnunmawii, HC Vanlalruata, Correspondent, The Times of India; K. Zothanpara, News Editor, Vanglaini; Lalramdinsanga, News Editor, LPS Vision; Isaac Zoramsanga, News Editor, AIR News; Caroline Lalrosangi, Reporter, DD News Mizoram; B. Lalmalsawma, Correspondent, India Today NE; and Zorinpuii Hlawndo, Programme Executive, Zonet Cable TV.