New Delhi, Jan 21 (NationPress) The Election Commission of India has inaugurated its significant three-day event, the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026, at Bharat Mandapam on Wednesday. This conference is being hailed as the largest international gathering focused on election management and democratic practices ever organized in the nation.

The event began with a ceremonial reception where Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, together with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, graciously greeted nearly 60 international delegates from various election management bodies worldwide.

The inaugural session saw an impressive turnout of around 1,000 attendees, including representatives from 42 election management bodies, ambassadors and high commissioners from 27 nations, experts from over 70 national institutions, senior officials from the Election Commission, and 36 chief electoral officers from across India's states and territories.

In his opening remarks, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar highlighted the significant transformation in election management bodies over the past few decades.

He pointed out India's distinctive position as the globe's largest democracy, conducting elections on a scale unmatched across its 28 states and 8 union territories for a population exceeding 1.5 billion. He stressed the immense trust that citizens place in these institutions and the shared obligation to protect it.

Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu remarked on the pivotal role of citizens in the electoral process, emphasizing that voters engage with the expectation that their choices will be respected and protected. It is the collective responsibility of all election management bodies globally to uphold this trust.

Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi termed the conference as an essential venue that connects election administrators, researchers, students, and practitioners who explore elections from various angles, enriching global institutional contributions.

Rakesh Verma, Director General of the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), elaborated on the conference theme under India's leadership: democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable world. This expansive vision encapsulates democracy's multi-faceted role in addressing challenges of the 21st century.

A standout moment of the event was the preview of the upcoming docu-series 'India Decides,' produced in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Arjun Nohwar, Managing Director of Warner Bros. Discovery, introduced the project, highlighting how the series uses engaging visuals to depict how India's electoral machinery operates, managing one of the most intricate mandates globally.

Organized by IIIDEM under the auspices of the Election Commission of India, IICDEM-2026 aims to promote global dialogue on electoral best practices, innovation, transparency, and collaboration.

The conference will span the next two days, bringing together various stakeholders to discuss ways to bolster democratic institutions globally.