The Election Commission of India (ECI) is rolling out the red carpet for the world at IICDEM 2026, a groundbreaking international conference on democracy and election management, scheduled for January 21-23 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This IIIDEM flagship event will attract around 100 delegates from over 70 countries, plus representatives from global organizations, diplomatic missions, and leading electoral academics and practitioners.
Inaugurated by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and Vivek Joshi, the program features a robust lineup: EMB plenary and executive sessions, working group huddles, and in-depth thematic forums on everything from electoral innovations to international standards and best practices.
A whopping 36 thematic groups, spearheaded by state/UT CEOs and bolstered by experts from elite institutions like 4 IITs, 6 IIMs, 12 NLUs, and IIMC, will drive the conversations forward.
Collaboration takes center stage with over 40 bilateral EMB meetings aimed at tackling universal challenges. The ECI will also debut ECINet, its all-in-one digital hub for election info and services.
Complementing the talks, an immersive exhibition will demonstrate the sheer magnitude of Indian elections, ECI’s latest strides in voter lists and conduct, and the intricacies of managing democracy at scale.
Day one excitement includes the premiere of ‘India Decides,’ a riveting docuseries peeling back the curtain on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—the planet’s biggest vote.
As the premier global conclave of its kind hosted by India, IICDEM 2026 promises to catalyze progress in election management, reinforcing democratic resilience through shared knowledge and partnerships.