As many as 13 international delegates arrived in West Bengal on Wednesday as part of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) 2026, an initiative of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The group includes representatives from Namibia, Georgia, Nepal, the Philippines, Switzerland, Kenya, and International IDEA, who are in India to observe the conduct of ongoing Assembly elections.
Showcasing India's electoral process
The IEVP is designed to strengthen cooperation with Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and global organisations. Under the theme "Chunav ka Parv, Paschim Bengal ka Garv", delegates are being introduced to the scale and systems behind India's electoral process.
During their visit, the delegates observed security arrangements and administrative mechanisms that support polling. They also visited the distribution and dispatch centre at Siliguri College, where polling teams were sent out with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units, and other essential materials.
Field visits and interactions
In a series of posts on X, the Election Commission shared updates from the ground. The visitors also reached polling stations to witness on-ground arrangements firsthand.
In a post on X, CEO West Bengal said, ""International delegates as part of IEVP 2026 and ECI Representative welcomed at the Polling stations of Paul Choudhury Tribal Hindi High School in Matigara of Darjeeling district of West Bengal."
International delegates as part of #IEVP2026 and ECI Representative welcomed at the Polling stations of Paul Choudhury Tribal Hindi High School in Matigara of Darjeeling district of West Bengal.#WBLA2026 #Phase1 @ECISVEEP@SpokespersonECI@PIBKolkata@airnews_kolkata pic.twitter.com/QWKyEWPG8N
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 23, 2026
“Wonderful… systematic, very well managed.”
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) April 23, 2026
An International Delegate under #IEVP2026 appreciated the seamless arrangements at the polling station in Simulbari - 24 Kurseong AC, from crèche facilities and drinking water to health check-up camps.
Festive. Inclusive. Accessible.… pic.twitter.com/v7Ly9kqwka
Programme timeline and exposure
The current visit follows the flag-off of the second phase of IEVP 2026 on Tuesday. Delegates are touring Tamil Nadu and West Bengal between April 22 and 23 to observe election preparedness and polling-day procedures.
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Earlier, in the first phase held between April 8 and 9, delegates visited Assam, Kerala and Puducherry. As part of the programme, they were given demonstrations of EVMs at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIDEM) and took part in mock polling exercises. They also interacted with election experts and reviewed technological and administrative practices used in India’s voting system.
