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.
The three-day international conference is being organised by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) under the aegis of the Election Commission of India. The event is expected to be the largest global conference hosted by India in the field of democracy and election management.
Nearly 100 international delegates representing Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from across the world will participate in the conference. Representatives from international organisations, foreign missions in India, and academic and practising experts in electoral governance will also attend.
The conference will carry forward the agenda outlined by the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, following India’s assumption of the Chairship of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for 2026. The central theme of the conference is “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.”
Director General of IIIDEM, Shri Rakesh Verma, while interacting with the media, said the conference will serve as a global platform for cooperation among Election Management Bodies. He noted that IICDEM 2026 aims to facilitate the exchange of best practices, innovations and solutions to contemporary electoral challenges. The interaction was followed by the unveiling of the official logo of IICDEM 2026.
The conference will also familiarise international participants with India’s electoral framework, processes and technological innovations that have made Indian elections a global benchmark for democratic practices.
The programme will include general and plenary sessions such as the inaugural session, EMB leaders’ plenary, EMB working group meetings and the launch of ECINet. Thematic sessions will focus on global electoral challenges, international electoral standards, and best practices in election management.
During the conference, the Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, will hold over 40 bilateral meetings with heads of participating EMBs and other international delegates.
The event will also see participation from leading academic institutions, including four IITs, six IIMs, twelve National Law Universities and Indian Institutes of Mass Communication. A total of 36 thematic groups, led by CEOs of States and Union Territories along with national and international academic experts, will contribute to the deliberations.
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