CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Fiji envoy discuss poll management, staff training
New Delhi, Aug 14
Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of the Council of Member States of International IDEA, Gyanesh Kumar, on Friday discussed issues of election management with the High Commissioner of the Republic of Fiji, Jagannath Sami, an official said.
The meeting took place at Nirvachan Sadan, the official said.
In a message on X, the Election Commission of India said, "Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening democratic cooperation, in line with the vision set out at IICDEM 2026. They also agreed to work closely together to deepen collaboration on election management and the training of election staff."
The meeting was the latest in a series of interactions CEC Gyanesh Kumar held with envoys to share India's best electoral practices with other democratic nations.
Earlier this month, CEC Gyanesh Kumar met Ambassador of Mongolia Ulziit Luvsanjav and discussed democratic cooperation and election staff training.
A statement issued by the ECI on social media platform X said, "Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening democratic cooperation, in line with the vision set out at IICDEM 2026. They also agreed to work closely together to deepen collaboration on election management and the training of election staff."
The meeting was part of CEC Gyanesh Kumar's global engagement to share best practices in Indian democracy.
In another engagement, CEC Gyanesh Kumar met the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Azamat Yeskarayev and discussed election management issues.
After the meeting, a statement issued by the ECI on X said, "Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening democratic cooperation, in keeping with the vision articulated at IICDEM 2026. They further agreed to work closely together to deepen collaboration in election management and in the training of election staff."
Earlier, CEC Gyanesh Kumar met Ambassador of Georgia Vakhtang Jaoshvili, Ambassador of Uzbekistan Sardor Rustambaev and Sri Lankan Envoy Mahishini Colonne. They discussed cooperation and training for election staff.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see India taking a leading role in democratic cooperation through platforms like International IDEA. The training of election staff is crucial, especially in emerging democracies. Hope this collaboration brings tangible benefits.
Honestly, while it's nice that we're helping other countries, I wish the ECI would also focus on addressing domestic challenges like voter turnout in some states and ensuring transparent polling processes here. Still, this global engagement is a positive step. 😊
This is a great initiative. India's electoral machinery is often cited as one of the most robust in the world, and sharing that knowledge with Pacific nations like Fiji strengthens diplomatic bonds. The IICDEM 2026 vision seems ambitious but promising.
The ECI's outreach to multiple countries—Fiji, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka—shows the growing soft power of India's democratic institutions. But I hope the CEC also gives equal attention to improving the electoral process back home, like ensuring better VVPAT verification.
It's heartening to see India being a guiding light for other nations in the democratic process. From Nepal to Fiji, many countries look up to our electoral system. Kudos to the CEC team for this global initiative! 🙌
R Rohan X < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.