NEW DELHI, May 4: Representatives of election management bodies from 23 countries, including Australia, Russia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, are in India to observe the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
Seventy-five delegates will visit six States in small groups to witness the elections and preparations related to it in various constituencies.
The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday described the visit of the foreign delegates as a first in terms of scale and magnitude of participation. Beginning on Saturday, the programme seeks to familiarise them with the nuances of India’s electoral system as well as the best practices being used.
Election management bodies of Bhutan, Mongolia, Australia, Madagascar, Fiji, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Moldova, Tunisia, Seychelles, Cambodia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Chile, Uzbekistan, Maldives, Papua New Guinea and Namibia are participating in the programme.
Members of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and media teams from Bhutan and Israel will also participate. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu will address the delegates on Sunday.
The delegates will visit Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to observe the polls. Members of international poll bodies are invited to witness elections in the country. Similarly, representatives of the EC are also invited by other countries during polls there.
(Manas Dasgupta)
