New Delhi, 21 April (H.S.):

The Election Commission launched Phase II of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP-2026) Tuesday, deploying delegates from 17 nations to Tamil Nadu and West Bengal ahead of assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar inaugurated proceedings at India International Institute for Democracy & Election Management (IIDEM).

34 representatives will visit April 22-23, inspecting dispatch/distribution centers, district control rooms, media monitoring facilities, and live polling processes on April 23 (Tamil Nadu Phase-I, West Bengal Phase-I). West Bengal Phase-II follows April 29.

Delegates experienced EVM demonstrations and mock polls at IIDEM Tuesday, engaging experts on technology-driven electoral safeguards. Phase I covered Assam, Kerala, Puducherry.

IEVP fosters global cooperation, sharing India's best practices and innovations with international election management bodies. The visits highlight comprehensive poll readiness amid multi-phase state elections.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar