Written answers

Thursday, 23 April 2009

Department of Foreign Affairs

Indian Elections

5:00 am

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent elections in India. [15384/09]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Elections are currently under way in India, the world's largest democracy. With 700 million Indians eligible to vote (including some 43 million who will be voting for the first time), this will be the largest electoral exercise ever undertaken in any country.

Given the scale of India and the size of the electorate, the elections are taking place in five phases. The first of these took place on 16 April, the second is taking place today (23 April), and there will be three more phases, culminating on 13 May. Ballots will be counted on 16 May and the 15th "Lok Sabha" (India's lower house of Parliament) will be sworn in on a date in early June, when a new Government will also be established. The elections are an enormous logistical exercise and a most impressive and powerful demonstration of democracy in action in the world's second most populous country.

I very much welcome the vibrant democratic process which is in evidence in India and I condemn the actions of terrorist groups which have sought to subvert this process by violent means during the first phase of voting. Regrettably, these actions have caused the deaths of some 17 people, including electoral officials and security personnel.

Ireland has a strong, multi-faceted relationship with India which has deep historical roots and we look forward to developing this further with the next Indian Government.

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