India elected as Chair of the Association of Asian Election Authorities for 2022-24

New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): India has been unanimously elected as the new Chair of the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) for 2022-2024, informed the Election Commission of India on Wednesday.

As per ECI, the decision was taken at the recently held meeting of the Executive Board and General Assembly in Manila, Philippines.

Commission on Elections, Manila was the current chair of AAEA. The new member of the Executive Board now includes Russia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Taiwan and the Philippines.

ECI’s 3-member delegation, headed by Deputy Election Commissioner Nitesh Vyas, along with Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajesh Agrawal and CEO Rajasthan Praveen Gupta, attended the Executive Board meeting in Manila and presented the work plan for 2022-23 as also futuristic activities for 2023-24 to the Executive Board.

A presentation on ‘Gender Issues in Elections’ was also given, highlighting various concerted and targeted interventions by India to break socio-political barriers in electoral and political processes for inclusive and participative elections, said the ECI in its statement.

According to ECI, the mission of the Association of Asian Election Authorities is to provide a non-partisan forum in the Asian region for sharing experiences and best practices among election authorities to discuss and act upon ways to promote open and transparent elections to support good governance and democracy.

Officials from many AAEA member countries have been regularly attending International Training Programmes conducted by India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) from time to time. Since 2019, more than 250 officials from AAEA member countries have attended these programmes. IIIDEM also conducts customised capacity development training programs for specific AAEA member countries. Fifty officials of the Bangladesh Election Commission were trained during 2021-22.

Delegates from AAEA have also been regularly participating in the International Election Visitors Programme organised by the Election Commission of India. 62 officials from 12 AAEA members participated in the 3rd International Virtual Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) hosted by ECI during Assembly Elections in 2022. AAEA is also an Associate Member of the 118 member Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB).

In pursuance of the resolution passed by participants of the Symposium on Asian Elections in the 21st century held from January 26-29, 1997, in Manila, Philippines, the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) was established in 1998. Currently, 20 Asian EMBs are members of AAEA. ECI is a founder member of EMB of the AAEA and also served on the Executive Board of the AAEA as the Vice-Chair during 2011-13 and Chair during 2014-16. (ANI)

 

Anti-terrorist operations conducted in J-K’s Bandipora, Anantnag

The statement said the deceased has been identified as Gulzar Ahmad Ganie, resident of the Wussan Pattan area of Baramulla.

 

Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: Two anti-terrorist operations were conducted by police and security forces in the Bandipora and Anantnag districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (May 11), according to an official statement.

During the Bandipora encounter, one terrorist was killed, and police recovered arms and ammunition from the site.

A joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, 14 Rashtriya Rifles and third Battalion CRPF after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in the Salinder forest area in Bandipora.

During a search of the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately on the joint search party, which retaliated, leading to an encounter, the statement said.

It further informed that the deceased has been identified as Gulzar Ahmad Ganie, resident of the Wussan Pattan area of Baramulla.

“The killed terrorist had exfiltrated in 2018 and remained there for three years and six months before infiltrating back in the last week of April. The search for the other two accomplice terrorists is still going on,” it stated.

Police and security forces have recovered incriminating material, arms and ammunition, including one AK rifle and three magazines, from the encounter site.

Meanwhile, another anti-terrorist operation was launched in the village Marhama area of Bijbehara Anantnag by the police, 3rd Rashtriya Rifles and 90 Battalion CRPF.

“As the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists started firing indiscriminately on the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” said the statement.

Both the encounters are still going on, and further details will be communicated as and when operations will conclude, said the police. (ANI)