Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has assumed the chairship of the council of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for 2026.
India has been elected as the new chair of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for 2026. India is one of the 14 founding member states of the organisation.
Mr Kumar assumed the chairmanship in Stockholm, Sweden. Ambassador of India to Sweden, Anurag Bhushan, was present during the ceremony.
In his acceptance speech, CEC Kumar highlighted the scale of India’s democratic exercise, noting the country has over 900 million electors across 28 states and 8 Union Territories.
He also pointed out that India has conducted 18 general elections to Parliament and more than 400 elections to State Legislatures since independence in 1947.
The CEC said, India aims to share not only the learnings of the world’s largest democracy, but also the democratic values and principles deeply rooted in its civilisational heritage.
The chairship marks a milestone, reflecting global recognition of the Election Commission of India as one of the world’s most credible and innovative Election Management Bodies (EMBs).
India, as a founding member of International IDEA, has consistently contributed to the organisation’s governance, democratic discourse, and institutional initiatives.
