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As part of the International Election Visitors' Programme - 2026, thirteen international delegates from Namibia, Georgia, Nepal, the Philippines, Switzerland, Kenya, and International IDEA arrived in West Bengal on Wednesday to witness the conduct of high-stakes polls.
The IEVP is a flagship program of the ECI for international cooperation and engagement with the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of other countries and International Organizations. Under the theme "Chunav ka Parv, Paschim Bengal ka Garv," these representatives witnessed the security protocols and administrative frameworks that underpin the Indian electoral process. https://x.com/ECISVEEP/status/2046790068107686383?s=20 In a series of X posts, the Election Commision shared the details about their journey in the state. They visited the Distribution & Dispatch Centre at Siliguri College, witnessing the seamless dispatch of polling parties equipped with EVMs, VVPATs, and other polling materials to their respective polling stations. https://x.com/ECISVEEP/status/2046880821987119248?s=20 This comes after ECI flagged off the second phase of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) 2026 on Tuesday for the ongoing Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The IEVP provides a comprehensive overview of India's electoral framework, institutional mechanisms, and operational architecture, while familiarising foreign EMB delegates with best practices and innovations in election management. The delegates are visiting Tamil Nadu and West Bengal between April 22 and 23, as they will observe election-related arrangements. Earlier, during the first phase of the programme, delegates visited Assam, Kerala and Puducherry from April 8 to April 9. According to the ECI, the delegates were given demonstrations of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at IIDEM and participated in mock poll exercises to gain hands-on experience of India's voting process. They also interacted with election experts and showed keen interest in technological interventions and administrative safeguards adopted in the country's electoral system. West Bengal is set ro witness a high-voltage battle in two-phased elections on April 23 and 29 between incumbent TMC as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP, which secured 77 seats in the previous election, is making a renewed push to form the government in the state. (ANI)
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