South African Poll Chief’s Surprise Call to CEC Gyanesh Kumar During Bihar Elections Sparks Global Spotlight
In an unexpected turn during the first phase of Bihar’s high-stakes Assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar received a surprise international call — from Mosotho Moepia, Chairperson of South Africa’s Election Commission.
A Call from Cape Town to Patna: Democracy Connects Two Continents
As millions of voters queued up across Bihar’s 121 constituencies on polling day, the phone lines at the Election Commission of India buzzed with an unusual message of solidarity. Mr. Moepia congratulated India for orchestrating one of the world’s largest democratic events and conveyed his admiration for India’s transparent, tech-driven electoral system.
He also revealed that a South African parliamentary delegation will soon visit New Delhi to study India’s innovations in electronic voting, real-time booth monitoring, and digital transparency measures.
Bihar Votes in First Phase: 121 Constituencies, 7.5 Crore Voters
Meanwhile, voting is underway across 18 districts in Bihar, marking the first phase of the 2025 Assembly elections. Nearly 7.5 crore citizens are expected to cast their ballots in this multi-phase democratic exercise.
Among the most closely watched constituencies are:
Raghopur – where Tejashwi Yadav of RJD is contesting,
Mahua – held by Tej Pratap Yadav,
Tarapur – featuring Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary,
Alinagar – home turf of BJP’s singer-candidate Maithili Thakur,
Lakhisarai – seat of Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha,
Mokama – represented by JDU’s Anant Singh, and
Raghunathpur – where RJD’s Osama Shahab, son of late leader Shahabuddin, is in the fray.
Global Praise for India’s Electoral Machinery
According to Election Commission officials, this phase involves over 30 million voters, including 19.8 million men, 17.6 million women, and third-gender voters.
Robust security and live booth surveillance via webcasting have been deployed across all polling stations. Cameras and electronic monitoring systems are ensuring transparency and minimizing any scope for malpractice.
Mr. Moepia commended India’s EVM technology, web-linked polling oversight, and multi-tier monitoring as models worth studying — reflecting India’s rising influence in global democratic governance.
India’s Electoral Diplomacy: Teaching the World to Vote
This cordial exchange highlights India’s growing role as a mentor in electoral management. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has become a global reference point for fair, tech-driven elections and routinely hosts delegations from countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Mauritius under its International Cooperation and Capacity-Building programs.
As South Africa prepares to deepen its collaboration with India’s Election Commission, the message from this unexpected phone call was loud and clear:
Democracy may have many languages — but its heartbeat remains the same, from Patna to Pretoria.
