New Delhi, Jan 19: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 from January 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, positioning India as a global hub for dialogue on democratic practices and election management.
Organised by the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM), the three-day conference is touted as the largest global conference of its kind in the field of democracy and elections, and expected to see participation from nearly 100 international delegates representing over 70 countries. Representatives of international organisations, foreign missions in India, and leading academic and practising experts in the electoral domain will also take part.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, will receive the delegates and formally flag off the proceedings at the inaugural session on January 21.
According to the ECI, the programme will feature a mix of general and plenary sessions of Election Management Bodies (EMBs), including the inaugural session, EMB Leaders’ Plenary, and EMB Working Group meetings. The conference will also host thematic sessions focusing on global electoral challenges, model international electoral standards, and innovations and best practices in election processes.
As many as 36 thematic groups, led by Chief Electoral Officers of States and union Territories and supported by national and international academic experts, will engage in in-depth deliberations. Leading academic institutions, including four IITs, six IIMs, 12 National Law Universities, and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), will contribute to these discussions.
On the sidelines of the conference, the ECI will hold over 40 bilateral meetings with election management bodies from around the world to deepen cooperation and exchange views on shared challenges. The Commission will also formally launch ECINET, described as its one-stop digital platform for all election-related information and services.
An exhibition highlighting the scale and complexity of conducting elections in India, along with recent initiatives to strengthen electoral rolls and the conduct of polls, will run alongside the conference. Additionally, a docu-series, “India Decides”, which chronicles the making of the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the largest democratic exercise in the world, will be showcased on the opening day.
The ECI said the conference underlines India’s commitment to promoting democratic values globally and fostering collaboration among election management bodies worldwide.