"The Secretary General commends the Indian government, people and political parties to the peaceful conduct of the general elections," Ban's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters here today.
"The Secretary General believes that although the final results are still pending, the conclusion of the exercise today demonstrates once again that India's popular designation as the world's largest democracy is well deserved," he said.
Dujarric did not comment on a question about the human rights concerns over Narendra Modi, poised to become India's next Prime Minister, and the US denying him a visa in the past following the Gujarat riots in 2002.
