Delegates from 23 countries have arrived to observe the Lok Sabha elections in India.

Amidst the bustling streets of New Delhi, the Election Commission of India extends a cordial invitation to 75 esteemed international guests hailing from election management bodies (EMBs) spanning across 23 nations. This invitation marks a watershed moment, heralding an unprecedented convergence of global electoral prowess.

In a proclamation of unparalleled scale and significance, the poll commission heralds this endeavor as an epoch-making event. The distinguished delegates, hailing from a diverse array of EMBs and organizations representing 23 sovereign states, including Bhutan, Mongolia, Australia, Madagascar, Fiji, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Moldova, Tunisia, Seychelles, Cambodia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Chile, Uzbekistan, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, and Namibia, assemble to partake in this monumental occasion.

In addition to these esteemed nations, delegates from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and media contingents from Bhutan and Israel are set to grace the proceedings. The electoral authority of India underscores this initiative as a testament to its unwavering dedication to orchestrating general elections of unparalleled caliber, providing an illustrious platform for EMBs to acquaint themselves with the epitome of democratic excellence firsthand.

“The Election Commission of India persists in fostering international amity by orchestrating the Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024,” proclaims the ECI in an official communique. Commencing on the hallowed grounds of May 4, this meticulously crafted program endeavors to acquaint foreign EMBs with the intricacies of India’s electoral framework, alongside acquainting them with the preeminent methodologies embraced by the world’s largest democracy, as elucidated by the ECI.

The venerable triumvirate comprising Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu are slated to impart their wisdom to the esteemed delegates on May 5. Subsequently, the delegates shall embark on a voyage of enlightenment, traversing the electoral landscape in small cohorts to observe the electoral process and attendant preparations across various constituencies spanning six states: Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The culmination of this enlightening odyssey is earmarked for May 9.

The ongoing saga of the Lok Sabha elections, which unfurled its maiden chapter on April 19, unfurls across seven meticulously orchestrated phases, culminating in the grand finale on June 1, where the mandate of the populace shall find resonance through the reverberating corridors of democracy, with the crescendo of the vote count heralding a new dawn on June 4.