New Delhi, April 7 – Describing elections in India as festivals of democracy, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar inaugurated the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP), 2026, on Tuesday, paving the way for foreign delegates to learn from the upcoming Assembly elections in five States/UTs.
Under the IEVP, 43 delegates from 23 countries, including representatives from five Foreign Missions in Delhi, will participate in the first phase of the programme and visit Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry on April 8-9, according to a statement.
Inaugurating the IEVP at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), CEC Gyanesh Kumar said that in the second phase, the delegates will visit West Bengal and Tamil Nadu from April 20 onwards.
Alongside Election Commissioners Dr. S.S. Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, CEC Gyanesh Kumar stated that the Election Commission of India views elections in India as festivals of democracy and works towards ensuring this in a mission-oriented manner.
He also encouraged the IEVP participants to enjoy their visit to the states, learn, observe, and experience the diversity of India.
The delegates were provided with a demonstration of the EVM at IIIDEM on Tuesday, and they participated in a mock poll using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to gain firsthand experience of the voting process, the statement said.
The delegates expressed keen interest in the technological interventions and administrative safeguards in the election process in India and engaged in an interactive session with the experts, clarifying their doubts/queries, it said.
The delegates will travel to Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry (Union Territory) on Wednesday.
They will visit dispatch and distribution centres, and other facilities, including District Control Rooms and Media Monitoring Centres, and witness the actual polling on the morning of April 9, the statement said.
The IEVP is a flagship programme of the ECI for international cooperation and engagement with the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of other countries and International Organisations, the statement said.
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, it said.
The IEVP showcases the strengths of India’s electoral system to the international community, sharing the best practices adopted in the world’s largest democracy for the conduct of elections, it said.