NEW DELHI : Seventy-five foreign delegates, representing their respective Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from 23 nations, have arrived in India in response to an invitation from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to observe the world’s largest ongoing electoral process.
The ECI, in an official statement, expressed that this exercise is unprecedented in terms of its scale and magnitude of participation.
“The invited delegates represent various EMBs and organizations from 23 countries, namely Bhutan, Mongolia, Australia, Madagascar, Fiji, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Moldova, Tunisia, Seychelles, Cambodia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Chile, Uzbekistan, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, and Namibia,” the statement said.
In addition to these 23 nations, members from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and media teams from Bhutan and Israel are also participating.
The ECI emphasized that this initiative demonstrates its commitment to conducting general elections of the highest standards, providing a unique opportunity for EMBs to witness democratic excellence first-hand.
“The Election Commission of India continues to foster international cooperation by organizing the Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) during the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024,” the poll panel stated.
The program, commencing on May 4, aims to familiarize delegates from foreign EMBs with the nuances of India’s electoral system, as well as the best practices employed by the world’s largest democracy, it added.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu will address the delegates on May 5. The delegates will split into small groups to observe polls and related preparations in various constituencies across six states. The program will conclude on May 9.