MoU on elections to be signed by India, Tunisia and Papua New Guinea

The Union cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval allowing the Election Commission (EC) to sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with its counterparts in Tunisia and Papua New Guinea.

The EC will enter into MoUs with the Independent High Authority for Elections of Tunisia (ISIE) and the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNGEC) for cooperation in the field of electoral management and administration, a cabinet statement said.

“The MoUs would promote bilateral cooperation aimed at building technical assistance and capacity support for the ISIE and the PNGEC for elections for cooperation in the field of electoral management and administration, envisaging cooperation in the field of electoral management and administration and providing a leg-up to such bodies in conducting elections in their respective countries,” said the statement.

This would also result in bolstering India’s international relations, it said.

India’s EC has been involved in promoting cooperation in the field of election matters and electoral processes across the world with certain foreign countries and agencies by adopting the MoU mode signed by the concerned parties.

The EC is responsible for conducting the largest electoral exercise in the world in a country of about 85 crore voters with diverse socio-political and economic backgrounds.

“In its pursuit of excellence, the Election Commission has been receiving various proposals from foreign electoral bodies for developing bilateral relations in the field of election and matters connected therewith,” the statement said.