New Delhi | January 8, 2026

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management from January 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The three-day conference will bring together representatives from 42 election management bodies and over 90 international delegates, including officials from the United States and Bhutan, to discuss global electoral challenges and innovations.

Organised by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) under the ECI, the conference will focus on issues such as voter roll management, technological interventions in elections, Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercises, campaign regulation, and misinformation management.

The event coincides with India assuming the chair of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for 2026. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar outlined the theme as “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.”

International Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange

The ECI said the conference will foster cooperation among election management bodies, facilitate the exchange of best practices, and enable joint strategies for contemporary electoral challenges. More than 40 bilateral meetings are scheduled between the Chief Election Commissioner, election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and participating election authorities.

IIIDEM unveiled the official conference logo, featuring stylised human forms forming protective hands around a globe, with India at the centre, symbolising its role as host and its engagement in global electoral dialogue.

Sessions and Themes

The programme includes plenary and general sessions, working group meetings, and the launch of ECINet, the ECI’s integrated digital platform. Thematic discussions will focus on:

• Reimagining democracy for the future
• Role of independent election management bodies

The sessions will cover seven global electoral themes, 11 model international electoral standards, and 25 sessions on best practices, led by chief electoral officers from Indian states and Union Territories, along with national and international experts.

The model international electoral standards include legal frameworks, independence of election authorities, voter registration, political party and candidate regulations, campaign finance, electronic and postal balloting systems, counting procedures, election observers, election technology, and media and voter education.

Best practice sessions will examine eligibility of electors, voter registration and identification, grievance redressal, law and order during elections, polling operations, and robust counting processes. Additional sessions will explore technology-driven registration, integrated digital platforms, misinformation management, media regulation, and the role of democracy in diversity, marginalisation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development goals.

Academic and Global Participation

International delegates will gain insights into India’s electoral framework, administrative processes, and technology systems. Academic participation will include representatives from four IITs, six IIMs, 12 National Law Universities, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, and 20 national and international experts. Thirty-six thematic groups led by state and UT chief electoral officers will contribute to the deliberations.

The ECI said the conference aims to institutionalise regular international engagement on election management and position IIIDEM as a hub for global dialogue on electoral processes.