A 13-member delegation of international observers reached Siliguri on Wednesday to witness first-hand the electoral process during the Assembly polls.

The visit was organised under the Election Commission’s International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) to showcase India’s democratic practices to global participants.

According to Apurva Kumar Singh, a deputy director of the Election Commission (EC), the delegation included representatives from Namibia, Georgia, Nepal, the Philippines, Switzerland and Kenya, along with members from the Sweden-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

Speaking to the media at the distribution-cum-receiving centre (DCRC) set up on the Siliguri College premises, Singh said: "The delegation is here to observe how elections are conducted in India and experience the enthusiasm with which citizens participate in what is often described as the festival of democracy."

This DCRC has been designated by the Darjeeling district administration to serve three Assembly seats — Siliguri, Matigara-Naxalbari and Phansidewa.

Here, polling personnel collect and later return election materials, making it a crucial logistical centre.

First, district officials briefed the delegates on various aspects of election management, including voter facilitation, security arrangements and polling protocols.

Then, the delegates proceeded to the DCRC, where they observed the systematic dispatch of polling teams to their respective stations, equipped with EVMs and other essential items.

Officials said that visitors were interested in the scale and efficiency of India's poll logistics. “They are closely observing how such a large and complex exercise is managed seamlessly. They also visited the media monitoring and webcasting control centre to understand how 100 per cent webcasting of polling stations is ensured for transparency,” an official said.

On Thursday, during the first phase of voting, the delegation will tour various polling stations across the district, see the voting process and meet poll officials and voters.