New Delhi, 07 January (H.S.): The Election Commission of India announced on Wednesday, that it will host the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IIICDEM 2026) from January 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam here, aiming to foster substantive global discourse on challenges, innovations, and best practices in democracy and electoral administration.

Organized in collaboration with the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) and International IDEA, the three-day conclave was spotlighted during a press briefing at IIIDEM's Dwarka facility, addressed by Director General Rakesh Verma, who unveiled the event's emblematic logo.

Verma elaborated that the design encapsulates core values of democracy, participation, institutional integrity, and international collaboration, conveying a lucid message that democracy thrives as people-driven, institutionally bolstered, and globally interconnected—with India assuming a pivotal, responsible role.

India's assumption of International IDEA's chairmanship for 2026 positions this summit as a preeminent platform for worldwide democratic deliberation, fortifying ties among election management bodies, cultivating collective visions for shared challenges, and facilitating exchanges of exemplary practices alongside co-created solutions.

Anchored under the theme Democracy for an Inclusive, Peaceful, Resilient, and Sustainable World, the agenda features two principal pillars: reimagining democracy for the future and the imperative of professional, independent election management bodies for enduring democratic vitality.

The program encompasses plenary and general sessions, alongside specialized workshops including an inaugural address, a full assembly of election management body leaders, working group convenings, and the launch of ECInet.

Participants will engage in seven sessions on global issues, eleven model deliberations on international electoral standards, and twenty-five focused forums showcasing superior practices and innovations in electoral processes.

Over 90 international delegates from 42 election management bodies, joined by representatives from international organizations, seasoned experts, and academics from premier institutions like IITs, IIMs, NLUs, and IIMC, will converge to amplify the conference's stature as a transformative global convener.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar