Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 20 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Russian Federation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual understanding and cooperation in the field of elections here on Tuesday.

The Chief Election Commissioner of India, Dr. S. Y. Quraishi, and the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russian Federation Vladimir Yevgenyvich Churov will sign the Memorandum.

The Memorandum of Understanding follows a long tradition of bilateral exchanges and cooperation between the two Electoral Commissions.

The Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russian Federation is visiting India on the invitation of Chief Election Commissioner of India. He is accompanying the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Churov attended the inauguration of Election Commission of India’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations on January 25, 2010, here and also made a presentation at the International Symposium on Best Electoral Practices organized by the Commission.

Former Chief Election Commissioner of India B. B. Tandon visited Moscow for a meeting with the Central Election Commission of Russian Federation in May 2002.

The Russian Commission has evinced keen interest in the various electoral management systems followed by Election Commission of India, especially the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)

The proposed MoU between the two Commissions covers exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of organizational and technical development of electoral process, support in exchanging information, materials, expertise and organizing training of personnel, facilitating relationships with other electoral authorities and organizations, production and distribution of materials pertaining to electoral systems, voting technology, voters’ education and awareness and increasing the participation of women, minorities and invalids in the electoral process.

There are provisions for identifying and evaluating priority areas of cooperation in organizational and technical field of activities and recommending and preparing instruments designed to identify activities, programmes and projects to be executed.

The Election Commission of India has already signed MoUs with the United Nations and the National Election Management Bodies of Cote D’ Ivoire, Mexico, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Brazil. The Commission is slated to sign MoUs with Nepal and Mauritius soon. (ANI)