The Election Commission (EC) is undertaking extensive preparations for observing the 13th National Parliamentary Election and Public Referendum. To ensure transparency and acceptability, the commission has this time invited election heads from 26 countries and 7 international organisations around the world, including from India, Pakistan, Canada, and Australia, to observe the election.
The EC has stated that a total of 83 individuals from these 26 countries and 7 organisations have been invited.
Regarding the hospitality for the observers, the EC stated that the Election Commission will bear all expenses for accommodation and food for the total of 83 foreign observers coming from these countries and organisations. This initiative has been taken by the Commission to showcase the credibility of the election in the international arena.
Among the countries that have received the EC’s invitation are. from neighboring India, Shri Ganesh Kumar who is serving as the Chief Election Commissioner; from Pakistan, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja; and from Nepal, Ram Prasad Bhandari.
Among other countries are from Bhutan, Deki Pema (Chief Election Commissioner); from Sri Lanka, RMAL Ratnayake (Chairman, Election Commission); from Maldives, Mohamed Zahid (President, Election Commission); from Thailand, Narang Kalyanwarin (Chairman); from Indonesia, Muhammad Afifuddin (Chairman); from the Philippines, Attorney George Irwin M Garcia (Principal Officer); from Japan, Furuya Masataka (Chair, Central Election Management Council); from South Korea, Ro Tae-ah (Chairman, National Election Commission).
Additionally, among Western countries are Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer Stephen Perrault; France’s President of the Constitutional Council Richard Ferrand; and from Russia, Ella Alexandrovna Pamfilova serving as Chairperson; Australia’s Geoffrey Pope APM (Acting Electoral Commissioner); New Zealand’s Karl Le Quesne (Chief Electoral Officer); Turkey’s Ahmet Yener (Chairman, Supreme Election Board); Jordan’s Musa Maaytah (Chairman, Board of Commissioners); Nigeria’s Josh Ozo Amupitan (Chairman); South Africa’s Sy Mamabolo (Chief Electoral Officer).
Furthermore, the names of election heads from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Romania, Malaysia, and Mongolia have also been included in the list.
Among the international organisations are SAARC Secretary General Md Golam Sarwar; Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Bachwe, and OIC Secretary General Hissene Brahim Taha; NDI’s Tamara Wittes (President); IRI President Daniel Twining; ANFREL’s Chairman Rohana N Hettiarachchi; A-WEB’s Secretary Hernan Penagos Giraldo, among others.
