PNGEC Commissioner accompanies Administrative Services Minister to observe India’s elections
A PNG government entourage is in India to observe the country's national election that started on 19 April and will end in June.
Led by Ministry of Administrative Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters Richard Masere and PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai, the delegation observed the biometric system used in India so that PNG can emulate the concept in the 2027 national elections.
The visit is the first after the Bilateral Agreement signed, between the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister James Marape twelve months ago.
The Agreement allows PNG to invest in opportunities and technical support from India and in this concept the technical support from various IT agencies in India, which PNG could gain support from to enhance and upgrade the work of NID, Civil Registry, NSO, and Electoral Commission which directly report to the Ministry of Administrative Services and Ministry Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters
India's population is 1.4 billion with a voting population of 900, 097 million which is about 67% of the population, and by far runs the biggest democratic elections in the world, in less than a month.
Indian High Commissioner to PNG and Solomon Islands, Shri Inbaseka Sundaramurthi believes PNG can improve its future elections by learning some lessons from India's Elections.
Mr. Sundaramurthi says India is using the voter's Identification Card or the biometric ID cards which PNG can consider using in the 2027 National General elections to guarantee free, fair, and safe elections.
He said the "unique identification authority of India produces the biometrics card which is used to prevent voter fraud."
He says, "The MOU between the Indian and PNG electoral commission is undergoing a process of mutual acceptance and captures ways to prevent violence, double voting, and other important electoral matters.
The PNG Delegation is expected to incorporate the knowledge learned and utilize it for preparation for the next elections in 2027.
If India can manage and address a population of 1.43 billion about the conduct of elections, PNG is no different as its population is estimated to be 11 million.
The biometrics voting system used by India to conduct its 2024 elections will provide valuable information to assist PNG in planning, preparing, and conducting better future elections.
The world's biggest electoral exercise started last month as voting in the first of its seven-phase general elections is underway and will continue until the first week of June.
Mr. Sundaramurthi said the PNG Electoral Commission can incorporate India's proportionate systems to improve future elections in Papua New Guinea.
"This is one of the mechanisms to check and to prevent vote fraud," he said.
In 2022, Papua New Guinea faced many election-related problems with reports claiming at least 50 people dead and multiple communities displaced in the Highlands region.
An epidemic in the country's failed common roll system left many voters in disrepute during the polling period as voting was disturbed and ballot boxes highjacked, preventing the counting process.
These ongoing unsolved issues have become a concern for many Papua New Guineans, prompting the government to search for alternative solutions to address future elections and uphold its democracy.
The Indian High Commission announced that PNG and Indian Election Commissions have been working on an agreement as part of a combined aspiration to better the elections going forward,
The agreement which is undergoing a process of mutual acceptance is centered around how to manage booths, prevent violence, and prevent double voting among others.
The PNG Delegation returns to PNG on Thursday.