New Delhi, 19 January (H.S.): The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced preparations for the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 on Monday. Organized by the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM), this landmark three-day event will convene from January 21-23 at Bharat Mandapam, positioning India as host of the largest global conference on democracy and election management.

Nearly 100 international delegates representing over 70 countries will participate alongside representatives from international organizations, foreign missions in India, and leading academic/practicing electoral experts. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, will receive delegates and inaugurate proceedings on January 21.

The comprehensive program features general/plenary sessions for Election Management Bodies (EMBs)—including EMB Leaders' Plenary and Working Group meetings—plus thematic sessions addressing global electoral challenges, international standards, and innovations/best practices.

Thirty-six thematic groups, led by State/UT Chief Electoral Officers and supported by national/international experts, will drive in-depth deliberations. Participating institutions include 4 IITs, 6 IIMs, 12 National Law Universities, and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

ECI will conduct over 40 bilateral meetings with EMB counterparts to advance cooperation on shared challenges. The commission will formally launch ECINET, its one-stop digital platform consolidating all election-related information and services.

A concurrent exhibition will showcase India's electoral scale/complexity alongside ECI's recent initiatives strengthening electoral roll preparation and poll conduct. The docuseries India Decides, chronicling the world's largest election (Lok Sabha 2024), premieres on opening day.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar