New Delhi, Dec 1 – The Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, will take over the Chairship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for 2026, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Monday.
The hand‑over will happen at the International IDEA Council of Member States meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, where the new Chair will preside over all council sessions throughout the year.
In a press release, the ECI said, “As a global acknowledgement of free, fair and transparent elections held by the Election Commission of India and all the election staff of the country, CEC Gyanesh Kumar is set to assume the Chairship of International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) at Stockholm, Sweden, on behalf of India.”
International IDEA, founded in 1995, is an intergovernmental body that works to strengthen democratic institutions and processes worldwide. Currently, 35 countries are members, with the United States and Japan serving as observers. The organisation champions inclusive, resilient, and accountable democracies, and it has held observer status at the UN General Assembly since 2003.
“The Chairship marks a significant milestone, reflecting global recognition of the Election Commission of India as one of the world’s most credible and innovative Election Management Bodies (EMBs),” the ECI noted.
India, one of International IDEA’s founding members, has consistently supported the organisation’s governance, democratic deliberation, and institutional initiatives.
“As Chair, CEC will leverage the country’s unmatched experience of conducting the world’s largest elections to shape IIDEA’s global agenda. The collaboration will strengthen knowledge‑sharing, reinforce professional networks among EMBs, and support evidence‑based global electoral reforms,” the ECI added.
With almost a billion voters and a transparent electoral process that is well documented, India intends to share its best practices with EMBs around the world during the year.
“Joint programmes, workshops, and research collaborations between the ECI’s training institute – the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) – and IIDEA will further enhance global readiness to respond to challenges such as disinformation, electoral violence, and erosion of voter trust,” the commission said.
Since its inception, IIIDEM has trained election officials not only in India but also internationally. To date, it has signed memoranda of understanding with 28 countries and trained 3,169 officials from nearly 142 countries.
Under CEC(Kumar)’s leadership, IIDEA and the ECI will closely collaborate to document and disseminate the commission’s technological and administrative innovations and best practices worldwide.
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