“Guardians of Democracy: The India-Mauritius Electoral Partnership”

 By Irfan Abdool Rahman GOSK

As we prepare for the visit of Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of India, the Office of the Electoral Commissioner wishes to reaffirm the invaluable collaboration between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Office of the Electoral Commissioner, Mauritius (OEC).

It is a relationship that is etched in time.  The historical and cultural bonds between India and Mauritius are unbreakable, and this has paved the way for a relationship that is founded on mutual respect.

Similarly, the ties that bind our two Election Commissions are not merely formal; our connection is also a very personal one, based on affinity and genuine friendship.

The ties of kinship and deep commitment to democratic values that bind our Election Commissions transcend our borders.

I have personally had the privilege of working with illustrious Honourable Chief Election Commissioners, ever since the tenure of Shri MS Gill back in December 1998, when I was invited to witness the introduction of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) for the 1998 Legislative Assembly Election of NCT Delhi.

In 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the Ambedkar Room at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi.  Dr Ambedkar was one of the tallest personalities of India’s freedom struggle and among India’s most illustrious sons. Babasaheb was also the Chairman of the Drafting Committee and is rightly acknowledged as one of the main architects of India’s Constitution.

The Republic of India subsequently adopted the Universal Adult Franchise:

One Person

One Vote, rich or poor

Educated or Not

Both the Election Commission of India and the Office of the Electoral Commissioner, Mauritius have always remained guided by the noble principles enunciated by Babasaheb – Liberty, Equality, Justice, Rights and Gender.

Almost 75 years after the holding of the First General Elections to the Lok Sabha and Provincial Assemblies in October 1951 and February 1952 – the biggest experiment in democracy in history, election in India are now a Festival of Democracy, and appropriately called “the biggest show on earth”

Within the framework of the MoU between the two Commissions, around fifty officers from the Office of the Electoral Commissioner Mauritius, have been provided training at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM).  We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Election Commission of India for having afforded us this unique opportunity.

Both the Election Commission of India and the Office of the Electoral Commissioner, Mauritius have always remained guided by the noble principles enunciated by Babasaheb – Liberty, Equality, Justice, Rights and Gender”

The Office of the Electoral Commissioner, Mauritius has also worked in close collaboration, as co-lead during three most successful International Conferences organized by the Election Commission of India in 2022 and 2023 under the aegis of the “Summit for Democracy – Election Integrity Cohort”.

Such collaboration plays a vital role in fostering cooperation, sharing knowledge, and finding innovative solution to common challenges related to elections and democracy.

Despite the dimensional disparity existing between the Republic of India and the Republic of Mauritius, specially in terms of the size of the population and electorate, both the ECI and the OEC have common objectives – the promotion and protection of the integrity of elections.

To conclude, it would be apposite to quote from the Preamble of the Memorandum of Understanding – where both Commissions “reaffirm our commitment to democracy and reposing faith and trust in free and fair democratic processes”.