Lok Sabha election 2019 inspires representatives of ECs from multiple countries

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New Delhi: Representatives from Election Commissions from around the world are witnessing the ongoing Lok Sabha election 2019 in India. With a view of strengthening the electoral processes in their own respective countries, these also include chiefs of many of the EC bodies worldwide.

65 representatives from 20 Election Management Bodies from several countries, including  Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Fiji, Georgia, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Romania, Russia, Srilanka,  Suriname, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe, have been monitoring the Indian election closely in a bid to perfect the methodology of conducting elections in their own countries. These representatives were invited by the Election Commission of India to join the Election Visitors Program.

Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner of ECI, hailed the contribution of the founders of the Indian Constitution in an address to the participants. He also underlined the ECI's commitment towards conducting free, fair and peaceful elections in India. "The objective and intention of the Commission is to always keep learning from the experiences of the past for necessary course corrections for the future," he said while adding that criticism and scepticism have never bogged down ECI.

Arora also stressed that the process of conducting elections in a country as diverse as India needs to be constantly updated to keep it robust, ethical, inclusive, accessible and participative. He highlighted the contribution of IT developments in helping with the electoral process in recent years.

More than 65 Representatives from 20 Election Management Bodies across the World witness 17th Lok Sabha Elections as part of Election Commission's Election Visitors' Programme.

Details here: https://t.co/rcSvJer11m pic.twitter.com/OIhfdNsSiC — PIB India (@PIB_India) May 12, 2019

Lok Sabha election in the country is the largest democratic exercise anywhere in the world and countries around the world have witnessed every election here with keen interest, and a high degree of amazement. This year, approximately 900 million people are eligible to cast their vote over seven phases. While a majority have already exercised their franchise, voting in the sixth phase took place on Monday and the final phase will take place on May 19. Counting of votes would be on May 23.