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India Hosts Global Democracy Summit with 70+ Nations at IICDEM-2026

The Election Commission of India is hosting the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management from January 21-23, 2026, in New Delhi. The event will convene nearly 100 delegates from over 70 countries to exchange ideas and innovations in electoral processes. The conference will feature plenary sessions, thematic discussions led by state CEOs and academic experts, and over 40 bilateral meetings with global Election Management Bodies. It will also see the launch of the ECINET digital platform and an exhibition on India's electoral initiatives.

Key Points: India Hosts Global Election Conference IICDEM-2026

  • 70+ countries participating
  • Focus on election management & democracy
  • 36 thematic discussion groups
  • Launch of digital platform ECINET
2 min read

ECI to host IICDEM-2026 from January 21 to 23, delegates from over 70 countries to participate

ECI hosts inaugural IICDEM-2026 in Delhi, with 100+ delegates from 70+ countries discussing democracy and election management best practices.

"positioning India at the centre of global dialogue on democratic governance - Election Commission of India"

New Delhi, January 19

The Election Commission of India is set to host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management 2026 from January 21 to 23, positioning India at the centre of global dialogue on democratic governance and electoral practices.

The three-day conference will be organised by the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

According to the press release, IICDEM 2026 is expected to be the largest global conference of its kind hosted by India in the domain of democracy and election management. Nearly 100 international delegates, representing over 70 countries from across the world, are expected to participate, along with representatives of international organisations, foreign missions in India, and academic and practising experts in the electoral domain.

The conference aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, best practices, and innovations among Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide.

Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, will receive the delegates and flag off the proceedings at the inaugural session on January 21.

As per the release, the programme features general and plenary sessions, including an EMB Leaders' Plenary, EMB Working Group meetings, and thematic discussions on global electoral challenges, model international electoral standards, and innovations and best practices in electoral processes.

As many as 36 thematic groups, led by CEOs of States and Union Territories and supported by national and international academic experts, will contribute to in-depth deliberations during the conference. These discussions will also have participation from leading academic institutions, including four IITs, six IIMs, 12 National Law Universities (NLUs) and IIMC.

The ECI will also hold over 40 bilateral meetings with the EMBs to further discussions and cooperation on various challenges confronting EMBs around the world. During the event, the Commission will ECINET, ECI's one-stop digital platform for all election-related information and services.

An exhibition on India's electoral scale and initiatives, along with the docuseries "India Decides" on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, will also be showcased.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great initiative. Hope this leads to real improvements and isn't just a talk shop. We still have issues with money power and caste-based voting in some areas. Let's share our successes but also be open to learning how to tackle these challenges.
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Vikram M
Involving IITs and IIMs is a smart move. Our tech talent can help develop solutions for global electoral challenges. The ECINET platform sounds promising - hope it makes voter services even more accessible for the common person.
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Sarah B
As an observer from the US, I'm impressed. Managing elections for nearly a billion voters is a monumental task. Looking forward to seeing what innovations India shares. The world has a lot to learn from your scale and logistics.
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Rohit P
Bharat Mandapam is the perfect venue for this! Showcasing "India Decides" is a great idea. Our election process is like a festival - the energy, the voter turnout, it's something unique. Hope the delegates get to feel that spirit.
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Nikhil C
While this is a positive step, I hope the conference addresses the digital divide. In remote villages, access to electoral information is still a challenge. ECINET must be designed for low-bandwidth areas and less tech-savvy citizens.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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