Page 48 - NIS English 16-28 Feb, 2026

NATION | 16th National Voters’ Day

Election Commission of India
Global Voice of Democracy

India is the world’s largest democracy. It has nearly 97 crore registered voters and
more than 700 political parties. India also assumed the chairmanship of the Council of
Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
(IDEA). With the aim of sharing this rich tradition of democracy and its fair, transparent,
and inclusive electoral process on a global platform, the Election Commission of India
organised a three-day India International Conference on Democracy and Election
Management from January 21 to 23, 2026. This event further strengthened India’s role
in election management…

he international conference provided a long-standing partnerships in election man-
common platform for election manage- agement and democratic cooperation. India
Tment bodies, policymakers, and experts offered to collaborate with the invited Election
to deliberate on key areas such as innovation in Management Bodies (EMBs) in developing tech-
electoral processes, technological interventions, nical platforms like ECINet, in accordance with
and voter participation. This first-of-its-kind the laws of their respective countries. Several
conference was attended by over a thousand EMBs expressed interest in collaborating with
delegates, including international represen- India to adopt similar technological solutions in
tatives from 42 foreign embassies and heads their own countries.
of missions from 27 countries. India’s Chief At the closing session, Chief Election Com-
Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, held missioner Gyanesh Kumar read out the ‘Delhi
bilateral meetings with the heads of election Declaration 2026’, which was unanimously
management bodies from 32 countries. These adopted by all the Election Management
meetings involved extensive discussions on Bodies (EMBs). The EMBs resolved to work
global electoral experiences and innovations. together on the five pillars of the declaration
The objective was to further strengthen India’s relating to Purity of Electoral Rolls, Conduct of

46 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || February 16-28, 2026