As a tribute to India's first Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen, the Election Commission of India orgsed the first Sukumar Sen memorial lecture here on Thursday.
Sukumar Sen had served as the first Chief Election Commissioner of India from March 21, 1950, till 19th December 1958.
The memorial lecture was addressed by former President of India Pranab Mukherjee.
The Former President of India addressed the audience saying, "Sen, by seamlessly conducting the first two General Elections, aided India's transition from a Crown colony to the sovereign Democratic Republic in practical terms."
While drawing attention at the ongoing protests, former President in his speech said: "The last few months have witnessed people come out on the streets in large numbers, particularly the young have voiced their views on the issues which they consider as important. Their assertion and belief in the Constitution of India are particularly heartening to see."
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora in his opening remarks said: "The objective of this lecture is to make a positive intervention in the democratic and electoral discourse, within the ambit of the Constitutional mandate of the Election Commission of India."
The Chief Election Commissioner asserted that ECI wishes to involve a wide cross-section of people including political parties, leading constitutionalists, legal luminaries, academicians, civil society activists in it.
On this occasion, a reprint of the Report on India's First Election was released by the former President as also a postal stamp in memory of Sukumar Sen was unveiled.
It is proposed that every year a leading figure, whether from India or abroad, who had made a recognisable contribution in furthering democracy, would be invited to deliver the lecture.
Sukumar Sen conducted the first two Lok Sabha elections of India held in 1952 and 1957 simultaneously with the Legislative Assembly elections based on the universal adult franchise under challenging circumstances.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was also remembered on his 123rd birth anniversary today.
Today's lecture was attended by Sen's family along with invitees from the national political parties, members of the academia, civil society orgsations, senior civil servants and international delegates.
The event commenced by the welcome speech of Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa while Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra concluded the event.
Tomorrow the ECI will host the 10th annual meeting of the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA). The session will be followed by shining of Memorandum of Understanding with Afghstan and Tunisia.
( With inputs from ANI )