According to an official release, the Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold the first India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) in 2026 from January 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Under the auspices of the ECI, the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) is organizing the three-day international conference.
India is expected to host the biggest international conference on election management and democracy, IICDEM 2026. Nearly 100 international delegates from Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from around the globe, as well as representatives of international organizations, foreign missions in India, and academic and professional specialists in electoral processes, would be present at the event.
Following India’s acceptance of the Chairmanship of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for 2026, the conference will further the agenda set forth by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable world” will be the central focus of the talks.
Director General of IIIDEM Rakesh Verma described IICDEM 2026 as a global platform for promoting international cooperation among EMBs in an address to the media on Tuesday.
According to him, the conference’s objectives are to foster a common knowledge of current electoral issues, promote the sharing of innovations and best practices, and allow for the co-creation of solutions. The official IICDEM 2026 logo was unveiled after the interaction.
Participants, who make up a sizable share of the world’s voters, will also become acquainted with India’s electoral system, procedures, and technical advancements, which have elevated Indian elections to the status of a global standard among democracies.
In addition to thematic sessions on global electoral issues, international electoral standards, and best practices and innovations in election management, the program will include inaugural and plenary sessions such as the Inaugural Session, EMB Leaders’ Plenary, EMB Working Group Meetings, and the launch of ECINet.
Over 40 bilateral discussions with heads of participating EMBs and other international representatives will be held by the ECI, under the direction of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, throughout the three-day event.
Leading academic institutions will also participate in the conference, including four IITs, six IIMs, twelve National Law Universities (NLUs), and IIMCs. State and UT Chief Electoral Officers will lead 36 thematic groups, and national and international academic experts will contribute to the discussions.
After the press conference, the media were given a tour of the IIIDEM Dwarka campus, which is quickly becoming one of the biggest institutions in the world for developing global electoral standards, strengthening India’s leadership in international democratic cooperation, and building capacity in election management.
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