CEC Sushil Chandra urges Indian diaspora to step up their registration as overseas voters

NEW DELHI: Chief election commissioner Sushil

Chandra

has urged members of the Indian diaspora to step up their registration as overseas voters, pointing to their existing low numbers as well as plans to extend them remote voting facility through electronically-transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS) in the near future.

During his visit to South Africa and Mauritius from April 9 to 19 - to attend a meeting of Association of World Election Bodies (AWEB), the largest conglomeration of 118 election management bodies of the world and of which India is currently the Chair, in Pretoria, South Africa and also take part in a bilateral meeting with his counterpart in Mauritius. Chandra had interactions with the large NRI community in the two countries. He urged members of the Indian diaspora to register as overseas voters as the present numbers are abysmally low. He also shared with the members that extension of ETBPS facility to overseas voters is being contemplated.

Election management bodies of South Africa and Mauritius are both MoU partners with ECI. The three countries share a relationship which is fundamental, unique and rooted in the collective experiences and cumulative strength of their people, said an EC release.

A major highlight of the visit was the tripartite meeting between the CEC; Mr Glen Mashinini, Chairperson, Electoral Commission of South Africa; and Jonghyun Choe, secretary general, Association of World Election Bodies (AWEB); held at Pretoria on April 12.

During the meeting, Chandra said that South Africa has made big strides in democracy and would be hosting the next General Assembly of AWEB in October 2022. He recapitulated the numerous activities and initiatives taken by ECI for strengthening cooperation among AWEB members by way of organizing webinars, international election visitor programme events and also coming out with several international publications.

He also shared India’s experience of conducting 11 state assembly elections and various by-elections under the Covid shadow and the new protocols devised by ECI for conducting safe elections from the perspective of voters, polling personnel and polling stations.

CEC

met

Mohd

. Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius at Port Louis on April 18, 2022. He told Rahman that the two countries shared a filial bond of brotherhood, ancestry, kinship and affection. CEC also gave a snapshot of recent elections held in India and stated that the two Commissions would continue sharing best practices, skills and experiences for mutual benefit.

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