India wins elections to key UN bodies

UNITED NATIONS: India continued its winning streak in elections to key UN bodies, getting elected today to crucial UN organisations, including the International Narcotics Control Board.

India's candidate Jagjit Pavadia won the closely- contested election to the International Narcotics Control Board for the 2015-2020 term.

Pavadia, who got 34 votes, was the first woman to be appointed Narcotics Commissioner of India. A total of 15 candidates were in the fray for just five seats.

India was also elected, by acclamation, to the Executive Board of the UN Development Programme for the term 2015-2017, Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations for the term 2015-2018 and Commission of Science and Technology for Development for the term 2015-2018.

India's candidate Chandrashekhar Dasgupta got re-elected to Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for the term 2015-2017.

The various elections were held to fill vacancies in subsidiary bodies of the 54-member UN Economic and Social Council.

Pavadia is a highly regarded law enforcement officer, who will be able to contribute significantly to the rule of law based activity of the International Narcotics Control Board, the Indian mission here said.

She has also worked as Training Adviser under the Commonwealth Programme to build up national capacity not only in India but in other countries around the world.

The International Narcotics Control Board is an independent expert body. It has 13 members, each elected by the Economic and Social Council for a period of five years.

Ten of the members are elected from a list of persons nominated by governments, while the remaining three are elected from a list of persons nominated by the World Health Organisation for their medical, pharmacological or pharmaceutical experience.

Pavadia is among the five candidates elected to fill the posts that would become vacant on March 2015 on the expiration of the term of office of members from Russia, France, South Africa, Thailand and Colombia.