New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) The Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA), an multi-nation organisation working for open and transparent elections, will work towards establishing a global association and strengthening exchange of information and experience amongst member countries, a press release said here Tuesday.
The Election Commission of India, which is currently the vice-chair of AAEA, hosted the association’s two-day executive board meeting in New Delhi that ended Tuesday.
The five-member executive board of the 17-member AAEA meets annually to discuss important issues of collaboration in election management. India’s Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath, Election Commissioner H.S. Brahma and other senior officials attended the meeting.
Representatives from South Korea, Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Philippines were also present. AAEA chairperson Justice Nung-Hwan Kim presided over the meeting.
The statement said that AAEA Board discussed ways to strengthen the exchange of information and experience amongst member countries.
“The Election Bodies decided to work towards establishment of an Association of World Election Bodies, as already proposed by AAEA,” it said.
The executive board also welcomed the establishment of the Forum of Heads of Election Management Bodies of SAARC countries with India as its first chair.
The release said that next year’s executive board meeting will be hosted by Philippines. India is a founding member of AAEA which was established in 1998 and at present has 17 member-countries.
