The India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) concluded today in New Delhi. The three-day international conference brought together over 100 foreign delegates from various countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, South Africa, Maldives, Botswana, Fiji andthe Czech Republic.
Addressing the closing session, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar read out the Delhi Declaration 2026, which was unanimously adopted by the Election Management Bodies. The EMBs resolved to work together on the five pillars of the declaration relating to Purity of Electoral Rolls, Conduct of Elections, Research and Publications, Use of Technology and Training and Capacity Building. Mr Kumar said that pure electoral rolls containing names of all eligible electors as per the law are the foundation of any democracy. CEC added that election management bodies should thrive to provide a photo identity card to all electors for easy and transparent conduct of elections.
Mr Kumar further added that India is willing to share its vast experience in the field of elections across all sectors through training and the exchange of its transparent practices.
During the three-day conference, the commission held bilateral discussions with several delegations from various countries. Talking exclusively to Akashvani News, President of the Election Commission of the Maldives, Mohamed Zahid, said that India and the Maldives held detailed discussions on key aspects of election management. He added that these included sharing experiences, training of election officials and collaboration in research related to democracy and electoral processes.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Fiji, Justice Usaia Ratuvili, said that India has offered technical assistance and cooperation to support capacity building related to elections.
During the three-day conference, the Election Commission launched ECINET, a comprehensive digital platform to facilitate citizen engagement and participation in the electoral process. The platform connects citizens, candidates, political parties, and election officials, offering all key election services on one secure platform. During the conference, various thematic sessions, Election Management Bodies Working Group Meetings, and EVM Demonstrations were also held.
