Poll panels of Asia moot global umbrella body

The two-day Executive Board of Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) on its concluding day here today mooted the proposal and decided to work towards establishment of an Association of World Election Bodies.

The Executive Board of the 17-member AAEA, which met here under the chairperson of the National Electoral Commission of the Republic of Korea Justice Nung-Hwan Kim, also discussed ways to strengthen the exchange of information and experience amongst member countries.

The five-member AAEA Executive Board, which meets annually to discuss important issues of collaboration in election management, debated ways to strengthen the exchange of information and experience amongst member countries.

It also welcomed the establishment of the Forum of Heads of Election Management Bodies of SAARC Countries with India as its first Chair.

The AAEA Board also discussed matters relating to financing and location of its Secretariat and decided that the 2013 Executive Board meeting will be hosted by Philippines.

India is a founding member of AAEA which was established in 1998 and currently has 17 members. The Election Commission of India is currently the Vice Chair of Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA).

The body was conceived to promote and institutionalise open and transparent elections, independent and impartial election authorities, professionalise Asian election bodies, citizen participation in the electoral and civic process, information sharing and the development of resources for election-related information and research.

India's Chief Election Commission V S Sampath, Election Commissioner H S Brahma and other senior officials of EC attended the meeting. Three other Executive Board member- countries were represented by Chief Election Commissioners of Kazakhstan and the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Commissioner of Elections from the Philippines.