India™s Model Code of Conduct is a Source of Inspiration, Says Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius
India and Mauritius have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi, for cooperation in the field of election management and administration.
The MoU was signed by the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Shri V.S. Sampath and the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mr. Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman. Election Commissioners of India, Shri H. S. Brahma and Dr. Nasim Zaidi; diplomats and senior officials of the Election Commission of India and Government of India were present at the signing ceremony.
The major aims of MoU are: promotion of exchanges of knowledge and experience in electoral processes; exchange of information, materials, expertise and training of personnel; production and distribution of materials pertaining to electoral systems, voting technology, voters™ education and awareness, and participation of women and minorities in electoral process.
Shri Sampath described the MoU as a great landmark and an important mechanism for strengthening and deepening mutual collaboration between ECI and the Electoral Commissioner™s Office of Mauritius. He expressed the confidence that the MoU would facilitate sharing of best practices, skills and experiences between the two institutions for mutual benefit. He stated that the partnership between two important Democracies India and Mauritius is a very good augury not only for the region but for the whole world.
Election Commissioner, Mr. Brahma offered the available expertise and facilities in India for strengthening the electoral system in Mauritius.
Mr. Abdool Rahman praised the expertise and experience gained by ECI over six decades in conducting the largest elections in the world in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner. He also stated that this MoU would formalize the very special relationship between the two Commissions and will strengthen the ongoing cooperation between them. He commended ECI™s initiative in setting up India Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), which is a world-class training and resource centre and stated that his office would be very interested in utilizing its training facilities. He also acknowledged that the Model Electoral Code of Mauritius has drawn inspiration from India™s Model Code of Conduct.
Election Commission of India has so far signed seventeen MOUs with Election Management Bodies and international organizations across the world. Some of the MoU signed recently are with Egypt, Venezuela, Republic of Korea and UNDP.
