All seven delegates from election management bodies of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Kazakhstan, who visited the Raigad Parliamentary Constituency on a two-day official visit, left the coastal district on Tuesday. Interestingly, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Kazakhstan still use ballot papers for elections in their country, whereas Bangladesh, uses the EVM, pointed out an official from the Raigad district administration.

With the presidential elections scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka between September to October this year, Silja Hilkka Paasilinna, Country Director, Sri Lanka, who was amongst the dignitaries, was overwhelmed with the arrangements made by the district administration for conducting a free and fair election. “Though they (Sri Lanka) continue to use, ballot paper, she is keen to put into practice some of the takeaways, for instance, usage of SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation), conducting mock polls, before the election, making the polling booths attractive and voter-friendly by providing refreshments, lights, medical kits, etc,” the official said.