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An international delegation comprising 20 observers from 10 countries, along with three representatives from the Election Commission of India, under the second phase of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) 2026, arrived in Tamil Nadu and reviewed the ongoing election-related activities, ahead of the polls scheduled to be held tomorrow.
They visited the Distribution & Dispatch Centre in the Chepauk-Triplicane Assembly constituency, Chennai, and witnessed the dispatch of EVMs, VVPATs, and other polling materials to their respective polling stations. Speaking to ANI during the programme, Additional District Election Magistrate Ravi Teja detailed the transparent EVM dispatch protocols, emphasising the presence of multiple stakeholders and video documentation to ensure a secure process. "The distribution is taking place in the presence of observers, political parties, and a video recording team to ensure transparency, and we are now starting the dispatch... Around 20 delegates from various countries are visiting the dispatch center to observe the election process firsthand, gain experience in the procedures and rules followed, and take it back to their own countries," he said. 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. 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. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 23, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. Polling will take place from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm across the state. With the DMK banking on its welfare record, the AIADMK-led NDA fighting for a comeback, and Vijay's TVK acting as the wildcard, Tamil Nadu's 6.2 crore voters will deliver their mandate on Thursday, April 23. (ANI)
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