Greek PM Praises Election System, Says ‘India an Example’

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised India’s election system on Wednesday, highlighting it as a compelling rebuttal to the misconception that managing democracy on a large scale is impractical. Speaking at the 9th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Mitsotakis commended India for showcasing how democracy can foster robust economic growth.

Greek PM on Indian Election

“Elections here in India convincingly challenge any flawed notion that significant scale is a barrier to democracy. You are an example to the world. An example which should be celebrated, a demonstration of how democracy can deliver stronger economic growth,” Mitsotakis remarked during the conference.

The Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier forum on geopolitics and geoeconomics, brings together foreign ministers and officials from around the globe to address pressing global issues. The ongoing ninth edition, which commenced on Wednesday in the national capital, boasts participation from various countries and will conclude on February 23.

#WATCH | At the ninth Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says "…Elections here in India, convincingly challenge any flawed notion that significant scale is a barrier to democracy. You are an example to the world. An example which should be… pic.twitter.com/4IO3iS3YRc

— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2024

Mitsotakis’ remarks coincided with India gearing up for the 18th Lok Sabha elections scheduled for March-April this year. However, some Indian opposition leaders, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, have raised concerns about the current electronic voting system, alleging potential tampering.

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Moreover, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha questioned the integrity of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) following Prime Minister Modi’s prediction of BJP’s electoral success. Jha suggested that Modi’s confident assertions about the election outcomes raise doubts about the functioning of EVMs.

The opposition’s skepticism regarding the electoral process intensified after the Supreme Court overturned the results of the Chandigarh Mayor Elections. The court invalidated the victory of BJP candidate Manoj Kumar Sonkar after finding evidence of ballot tampering by the Returning Officer, who deliberately invalidated votes cast in favor of another candidate, Kuldeep Kumar.

The incident underscored concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and elicited criticism of the BJP-led government.