New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) As polling for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections got underway on Thursday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday welcomed 16 delegates from six countries under its International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP).

The initiative, aimed at fostering global cooperation and transparency in electoral processes, saw participants from Colombia, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines, Belgium, and South Africa witnessing the on-ground arrangements of one of the world’s largest democratic exercises.

“Under the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) of the ECI, 16 delegates from 6 countries – Colombia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Belgium, South Africa are witnessing the never before arrangements made by the ECI,” the poll panel said on X.

According to the ECI, the IEVP 2025 began earlier this week at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi on November 4.

The inaugural session was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi, who interacted with the visiting delegates and briefed them about India’s robust electoral framework.

During the Delhi leg, participants were given a detailed presentation on the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), voter roll management, and logistical preparedness.

“IEVP includes a two-day tour of Bihar from November 5-6, 2025 where the participants will visit the EVM dispatch centres and witness the actual polling on November 6, 2025,” the ECI said in its Press note earlier.

The IEVP is a flagship program of the ECI for international cooperation and engagement with the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of other countries and international organisations.

The IEVP, launched in 2014, serves as the ECI’s flagship platform for international engagement with Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and global democratic institutions. Through this programme, India showcases its electoral best practices and fosters mutual learning with partner nations.

This year’s edition underlines India’s growing role as a leader in electoral management, with the ECI using the Bihar polls as a live demonstration of its operational scale, transparency, and integrity.

–IANS

sas/rad