CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Georgian envoy hold talks on training of poll staff
New Delhi, July 30
Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of the Council of Member States of International IDEA Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday met Ambassador of Georgia Vakhtang Jaoshvili and discussed issues of cooperation and the training of election staff.
A statement issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on X said, "Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of the Council of Member States of International IDEA, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, today met His Excellency Vakhtang Jaoshvili, Ambassador of Georgia to India, at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi."
"The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of both nations to strengthening democratic cooperation, as envisaged at IICDEM 2026. Both sides agreed to work closely on deepening collaboration in the areas of election management and training of election staff," said the ECI.
Earlier this week, CEC Gyanesh Kumar met the Ambassador of Uzbekistan, Sardor Rustambaev, and the Sri Lankan envoy.
After the meeting with the Uzbek envoy, the Election Commission of India, in a message on social media, said, "Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of Council of Member States of International IDEA Shri Gyanesh Kumar today met His Excellency Mr Sardor Rustambaev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to India at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi today."
"Building on the momentum generated at IICDEM 2026, both sides resolved to work closely together to advance the agenda set out at the conference, reinforcing India's role as a trusted partner in the region's democratic development. The two sides further agreed to strengthen collaboration in election management and the training of election staff," said the ECI in a statement.
After the interaction with the Lankan envoy, the ECI said on X, "Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of the Council of Member States of International IDEA, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, today met Her Excellency Ms Mahishini Colonne, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi."
"Underscoring the deep-rooted ties between India and Sri Lanka as neighbours, both sides emphasised that shared democratic values and historical linkages provide a strong foundation for electoral cooperation," it said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good move, but I hope our own election staff get regular training too. Sometimes voters face long queues and outdated procedures. Let's balance international cooperation with domestic improvements.
Impressive that Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka are engaging with us. India has decades of experience in managing massive elections, so this is a natural partnership. Hope it leads to more tech exchange! 🇮🇳
While training foreign staff is nice, we must ensure our electronic voting machines (EVMs) remain tamper-proof. With global interest in our system, transparency is key.
Chalo, international recognition is always good. But let's not forget that our own elections face challenges like voter turnout and misinformation. Fix domestic issues first, then export expertise.
Great to see India leading the way in democratic practices. The IICDEM 2026 conference seems to be bearing fruit. These partnerships build soft power and trust. Keep it up!
Border nations like Sri Lanka and Georgia engaging with our EC shows India's neutral stance in election management. Hope this fosters better ties in other areas too.
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