Adding another feather to its cap, the Election Commission today started a training course for 24 election officials from 23 Commonwealth countries.
The special six-day capacity development training programme titled "Election Management: the Role of Technology" for 24 junior election professionals of Commonwealth countries will be conducted from October 21 to 26 at India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), the training and resource centre of Election Commission of India.
This is a pioneering initiative, conceptualised and implemented in partnership and collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and AusAid, which is funding the programme. The EC is also an active member of the Steering Committee of the Commonwealth Electoral Network.
The first of its kind programme is built on peer support and is an important part of EC's South-South cooperation initiative, aimed at sharing its experience, skills and expertise with desirous countries of the Commonwealth.
Apart from training sessions, the participants (more than half are women) will also get an exposure to EC's field-level electoral machinery.
Addressing the delegates at the inauguration of the programme, Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath said EC was happy to share its experience and skills in poll management, acquired over a period of 60 years, with its Commonwealth counterparts.
Election Commissioner H S Brahma emphasised the importance of free and fair elections for sustaining democracy.
IIIDEM has already conducted more than 50 national courses and 11 training courses/workshops for international delegates from Kenya, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Maldives and Nepal.
