FORIEGN OFFICIALS GET LESSONS ON POLL MANAGEMENT

As India goes through the world's biggest democratic exercise, senior officials from 19 countries are undergoing training on election management and related matters here under a novel initiative. Currently a batch of 30 senior officials from Bhutan, Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malaysia, Maldives, Palestine, Sierra Leone South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Yemen are undertaking the training under the programme launched by Ministry of External Affairs. Apart from learning theoretical aspects of election management, the participants are also being given practical insights into the election management process as they have been taken to polling booths and control rooms. The training is being given by India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management - an advanced resource centre of learning, research, training and extension for participatory democracy and election management. The External Affairs Ministry had launched the programme last year for election officials of the foreign countries as part of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation initiative and already two batches had completed their courses. Government sources said there has been huge response to the training programme as around 70 senior officials of a large number of countries had expressed interest to be part of it out of which only 30 could be accommodated in the ongoing course. Impressed by India's election management system, the sources said some countries have even expressed interest in acquiring Electronic Voting Machines while some others have even contacted the Election Commission for other assistance. The Election Commission of India in 2011 had launched the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management.