New Delhi, Jan 7: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) from January 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

Organised by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) under the aegis of ECI, the three-day event will be the largest global conference of its kind hosted by India in the field of election management and democracy.

Nearly 100 international delegates representing Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from across the world, along with representatives from international organisations, foreign missions in India, and academic experts, are expected to participate. The conference will advance the agenda laid out by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following India’s assumption of the Chairship of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for 2026. The theme is “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.”

Director General of IIIDEM, Rakesh Verma, said the conference would serve as a global platform for cooperation among EMBs, enabling shared understanding of challenges, exchange of best practices, and co-creation of solutions. He also unveiled the official logo of IICDEM 2026.

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 cover global electoral standards, innovations in electoral processes, and model practices.

During the conference, the Chief Election Commissioner along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi will hold over 40 bilateral meetings with heads of participating EMBs and international delegates.

The event will also see participation from leading academic institutions, including four IITs, six IIMs, 12 National Law Universities and IIMCs. Thirty-six thematic groups led by CEOs of States and Union Territories, along with national and international experts, will contribute to deliberations.

Media representatives were also given a tour of the IIIDEM campus in Dwarka, which is emerging as one of the world’s largest institutes for capacity building in election organisation and management, reinforcing India’s leadership role in global democratic cooperation.