New Delhi [India], January 21 : Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Wednesday welcomed the international delegates participating in the International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 and said that the work of Election Management Bodies has evolved significantly over the past decades.
The Chief Election Commissioner highlighted that the country has "conducted elections on an unprecedented scale".
Welcoming the participants, Gyanesh Kumar said, "The work of EMBs has evolved significantly over the past decades. India, as the world's largest democracy, conducts elections on an unprecedented scale, encompassing 28 states and 8 union territories, with a population of 1.5 billion."
The Election Commission of India (ECI) today inaugurated the three-day International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, hosting nearly 60 international delegates and over 1,000 participants from across the world.
According to an ECI press note, in a specially organised Reception Ceremony, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, welcomed nearly 60 international delegates.
The inaugural session was attended by delegates from 42 Election Management Bodies (EMBs), Ambassadors and High Commissioners from 27 countries, experts from over 70 national institutions, senior ECI officers, and 36 Chief Electoral Officers from across India.
Describing the faith placed by citizens in the EMBs as precious, EC Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said, "At the heart of every election is a citizen, believing that their choice will be respected and it is the collective responsibility of EMBs to protect it."
Speaking at the inaugural session, EC Vivek Joshi said that IICDEM-2026 brings together EMBs, researchers, students and practitioners who view elections from different angles and contribute to their respective institutions.
Speaking on the theme of IICDEM-2026, DG IIIDEM, Rakesh Verma, said that the theme for India's chairship, democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world reflects a broad and multi-dimensional understanding of what democracy must deliver in the 21st century.
According to a press note, the participants viewed glimpses from the upcoming docuseries, "India Decides", produced in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery. Managing Director, Warner Bros. Discovery, Arjun Nohwar, in his speech said that the docuseries, through compelling visuals, portrays the general elections through the workings of an institution that carries one of the most complex mandates anywhere in the world.
The three-day programme includes general and plenary sessions of Election Management Bodies (EMBs), including the Inaugural Session, EMB Leaders' Plenary, EMB Working Group Meetings, and thematic sessions focusing on global electoral issues, model international electoral standards, and innovations and best practices in electoral processes.
IICDEM 2026 is expected to be the largest global conference of its kind hosted by India in the domain of democracy and election management. It is hosting international delegates, representing over 70 countries from across the world, along with representatives of international organisations, foreign missions in India, and academic and practising experts in the electoral domain.