Patna: A 16-member international delegation from seven countries reached Patna on Wednesday under the Election Commission of India’s International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) to review poll preparedness in Bihar.
Officials from Indonesia, Colombia, the Philippines, France, Belgium, South Africa, and Thailand are touring polling stations to gain first-hand insight into India’s voting procedures — from Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) usage to voter list management.
भारत निर्वाचन आयोग के International Election Visitor Programme के तहत बिहार के निर्वाचन को देखने आए बेल्जियम के अंतरराष्ट्रीय प्रतिनिधियों द्वारा पटना जिले में चुनाव एवं मतदान प्रक्रिया का अवलोकन किया गया।@ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/cOWWxqFZvv
— Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar (@CEOBihar) November 6, 2025
The visit, facilitated by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), included detailed interactions with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi. The ECI briefed the delegates on the country’s large-scale democratic operations and measures ensuring free, fair, and inclusive elections.
Launched in 2014, the IEVP has become a key platform for showcasing India’s globally admired election management system.
In a parallel development, Election Commission of South Africa Chairperson Mosotho Moepya congratulated CEC Gyanesh Kumar for the smooth conduct of the Bihar elections, which cover nearly 7.5 crore voters. He lauded India’s transparent electoral processes and said South African parliamentarians will soon visit the country to study one of the “most effective and credible election systems” in the world.
