CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Kazakhstan's envoy discuss poll management, staff training
New Delhi, Aug 4
Chief Election Commissioner and Chairman of the Council of Member States of International IDEA Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday met Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan Azamat Yeskarayev and discussed issues of election management and the training of poll staff.
A statement issued by the Election Commission of India (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 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."
In his earlier interactions with envoys, 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, "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."
After the interaction with the Lankan envoy, the ECI said on X, "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."
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is excellent soft power diplomacy. In a world where democratic processes are under threat, India's experience in managing elections in such a diverse country is invaluable. Glad to see initiatives like IICDEM 2026 moving forward.
Interesting to see the Election Commission positioning itself as a global leader. Our own processes aren't perfect, but there's no doubt that India has developed robust systems for polling in challenging conditions.
Australia's EMB can learn a lot from India, especially in engaging remote communities. India's use of tech is also something most Western democracies haven't even caught up to yet.
Honestly, the real success of Indian elections is the sheer scale — over a billion people, multiple languages, terrains from mountains to deserts, and the ECI still manages it all.
But I do think we need to focus more on internal reforms too. Let's not just export expertise while ignoring issues like voter education in some remote regions.
Nice to see democratic cooperation between these nations. Kazakhstan and Georgia are emerging democracies, and India's experience is definitely relevant. Hope this leads to practical improvements in electoral processes globally.
Whoa, I didn't know India was also the Chair of International IDEA! This is a huge diplomatic
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