Assembly elections 2022: EC to host International Election Visitors Programme 2022 tomorrow

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday informed that it is going to organize an International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) 2022 for foreign Election Management Bodies (EMBs)/Organisations in virtual mode on Monday.

"The ongoing legislative assembly elections in the states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh have a combined electorate of 183.4 million, one of the largest to vote amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the ECI said in a press release.

IEVP constitutes an important part of ECI's international outreach and is organized with the goal of familiarizing fellow EMBs with the electoral system and processes adopted in the world's largest democracy.

IEVP 2022 provides an opportunity for ECI to share best practices and experience of the conduct of the poll process along with the steps taken to ensure compliance of COVID-19 protocols.

As per the ECI, over 135 delegates from over 26 countries across the world including Australia, Bahamas, Bhutan, Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Suriname, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Zambia etc. and 4 international organizations including International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and Community of Democracies will be participating in IEVP 2022.

"Besides, Ambassadors/High Commissioners and other members of the Diplomatic Corps based in India from 20 countries have also been invited to participate in the virtual IEVP 2022," the release read.

The Programme for IEVP 2022 comprises of an online briefing session by Umesh Sinha, Secretary General, ECI and Head of India A-WEB Centre at ECI, which would give the participants an overview of the large canvas of the Indian electoral process, the new initiatives taken by ECI on voter facilitation, transparency and accessibility of electoral system; ECI's response to the changing needs of training and capacity building and the new formats necessitated by COVID-19 along with insights into the elections held in the states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

"With a vast electorate of more than 183.4 million, these elections have posed formidable challenges and arrangements have been made to address them and to deploy unique initiatives to conduct a Covid safe election," the ECI said.

As per the ECI, the participants will be showcased a recorded broadcast from select polling stations in each of the five states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh where polls have taken place as well as live streaming from polling stations in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on March 7.

The programme, as per the press release, includes familiarization of participants with the electoral process, polling station arrangements, use of technology, interaction with various stakeholders followed by a Q&A session.

( With inputs from ANI )