Thirteen international delegates from seven countries arrived in West Bengal on Wednesday to observe the ongoing Assembly elections under the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) 2026, an initiative of the Election Commission of India.
The visitors, representing Namibia, Georgia, Nepal, the Philippines, Switzerland and Kenya, along with International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, are in the state to witness India’s electoral process and administrative mechanisms firsthand.
Under the theme “Chunav ka Parv, Paschim Bengal ka Garv”, the delegates were briefed on security protocols and logistical arrangements that underpin the conduct of elections in the state.
They visited the Distribution and Dispatch Centre at Siliguri College, where they observed the movement of polling personnel equipped with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) and other materials to polling stations.
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Officials said the programme aims to showcase India’s electoral management system, including transparency measures, operational planning and technological interventions.
The IEVP is a flagship initiative of the Election Commission to strengthen cooperation with Election Management Bodies across the world and to share best practices in conducting large-scale democratic exercises.
The current visit forms part of the second phase of the programme, which covers West Bengal and Tamil Nadu between April 22 and 23. Earlier, in the first phase, delegates had visited Assam, Kerala and Puducherry earlier this month.
Participants have also undergone demonstrations of EVMs and taken part in mock polling exercises at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, gaining hands-on experience of India’s voting system.
The visit comes amid a closely contested Assembly election in West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is seeking a fourth consecutive term, while the Bharatiya Janata Party is mounting a strong challenge.
Polling in the state is scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29.
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