New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) The Election Commission on Monday live-streamed voting from polling stations in Varanasi for over 150 delegates from poll management bodies of various countries as part of its international election visitors programme to familiarise them with India's electoral exercise.

During the half-a-day session, recorded videos of poll activities from Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Punjab were shown to the participants.

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Live streaming from polling stations of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh was followed by a detailed briefing session of the electoral process.

The seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections concluded on Monday evening. Voting in Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab were over earlier.

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India has been hosting the international election visitors programme since 2012 polls. International delegates are invited to visit polling stations to witness the electoral processes in person.

Even during the Covid pandemic, when travel restrictions were in place, IEVP in India was not discontinued and is being held in virtual mode.

Addressing the delegates, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said despite the pandemic posing several logistical challenges, India has yet again conducted elections in five states with 183.4 million electors across 690 assembly constituencies, making the electoral system more inclusive, accessible and participative.

Highlighting the poll panel's various initiatives for facilitating senior citizens, people with disability and women voters, he appreciated the innovative and localised solutions implemented by field officers to overcome barriers faced by various categories of voters.

Chandra noted that over 11 million new voters were added during the Assembly elections in the five states.

In Uttarakhand, female voter turnout was 67.2 per cent as compared to 62.6 per cent male voters. Goa recorded 80.96 per cent female turnout while male turnout was 78.19 per cent.

The chief election commissioner also highlighted the special adaptive changes made by the poll panel during the elections to five states to mitigate the risk of Covid and make the polling stations a safe place for the voters.

Virtual mode of campaigning for a larger part of the election, stress on total vaccination status in poll-bound states, regular interactions with health authorities, helped the Election Commission ensure 'Covid-safe' polls, he said.

Acknowledging the challenges posed by the pandemic, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the panel's aim has been to work with three broad objectives of Covid-safe elections, hassle-free comfortable voting experience and maximum voter participation.

Elaborating on the special measures taken to ensure Covid- safe polls, he noted the Commission took a graded response keeping a balance between the candidates and parties' right to campaigning and with evolving Covid situation, ensuring the safety of voters and polling personnel.

Over 150 delegates from 32 countries including, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Croatia, Ethiopia and Fiji, and four organisations including International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems, Association of World Election Bodies and Community of Democracies participated in the event.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)