They also agreed to initiate action to link the web-sites of their national poll management bodies as a precursor to a Forum web-site to facilitate faster connectivity, coordination, exchange of information and experiences.

The heads of the poll management bodies of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka decided to rename the South Asian body as the Forum of Election Management Bodies of South Asia.

Earlier this body was called Forum of Heads of Election Management Bodies of SAARC Countries.

The meeting of this South Asian poll management body concluded here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, VS Sampath.

The Forum decided to strengthen mutual cooperation in the field of electoral management.

The next meeting of the Forum will be hosted by Bhutan later this year.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) and India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) are scheduled to organize a course for Capacity Development in Election Management, this time exclusively for Afghan poll officials, in February, 2013.

Earlier the ECI also hosted a visit by a ten-member team from the Election Commission of Bhutan to witness the State Assembly elections in Gujarat last month.

Election Commission of India (ECI) simultaneously hosted a seminar titled “Towards More Inclusive Elections – Interventions in South Asian Region”. Each delegation shared their perception of the challenges faced by them in working towards inclusive elections and the attempts they have made to ensure that all eligible voters are registered and are able to vote. The delegates also attended the national-level celebration of the National Voters Day function on January 25 and were invited to the Republic Day Parade.

Chief Election Commissioner of India and Chair of the Forum, VS Sampath in his keynote address at the Seminar, emphasized the need to work for inclusion of all eligible voters in the electoral roll and the fullest participation of all sections of the society in the electoral process. He noted that the challenges that the South Asian Election Commissions face in this task are quite similar and called for joint endeavour to ensure inclusion.

Election Commissioners of India HS Brahma and Nasim Zaidi urged the participants to mount concerted efforts to correct under-representation of certain sections of eligible voters in the electoral process such as women, apathetic urban voters, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and to motivate and facilitate them in exercising their right to vote. They assured their South Asian counterparts all support in conduct of elections.

Delegates and poll management bodies of South Asia pledged to cooperate for ensuring more efficient and qualitative elections. They lauded India’s leadership in election management in this region. Delegates from Pakistan informed the meet that they have adopted from India the concept of the National Voters Day to enhance people’s participation in elections.

Coinciding with this meeting of the Forum of Election Management Bodies of South Asia, a two week training programme has been organised at ECI’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) exclusively for poll officials nominated by the Forum Members.

The programme titled “Capacity Development for Election Management” includes field level exposure to ECI’s election machinery, with visits to Agra and Bhopal.