New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) Election management bodies from across the world on Friday resolved to deepen cooperation on safeguarding electoral integrity, embracing technology and building professional capacity, with the unanimous adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026 at the conclusion of the three-day International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026.
The declaration was adopted at the closing session of the conference held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, committing participating Election Management Bodies (EMBs) to work together on five key pillars — Purity of Electoral Rolls, Conduct of Elections, Research and Publications, Use of Technology, and Training and Capacity Building.
Reading out the declaration, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Gyanesh Kumar, said the conference had laid the foundation for closer global collaboration in election management.
“This conference has ignited meaningful conversations on model international electoral standards,” Kumar said. “The over 40 bilateral meetings held during these three days have expanded mutual cooperation and strengthened our understanding of shared priorities and perspectives.”
The closing session was attended by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, heads of 42 Election Management Bodies, experts from more than 70 national institutions, senior officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI), and 36 Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from States and union Territories.
As part of the Delhi Declaration 2026, the EMBs also agreed to periodically review progress and reconvene on December 3, 4 and 5, 2026, at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi.
The declaration outlines several collaborative initiatives, including the preparation of a co-curated Encyclopaedia of Democracies of the World, comprehensive reports on seven themes led by International IDEA and 36 themes led by IIIDEM, co-development of digital platforms similar to ECINET, and expanded training and exchange programmes through IIIDEM to promote transparency and professionalism in electoral processes and electoral roll management.
Addressing the gathering, Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu highlighted the spirit of collaboration that marked the conference.
“The openness, mutual respect and willingness to learn from one another reflect the maturity and professionalism of the global electoral community,” Sandhu said.
Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi underlined India’s approach to election technology, particularly with the launch of ECINET during the conference.
“ECINET stands as a testament to India’s technological advancement in election management,” Joshi said. “It reinforces our belief in measured adoption of technology — ensuring that technology supports trust rather than replaces it.”
IICDEM 2026, described as the first and largest conference of its kind, began with a grand reception and inaugural session attended by nearly 1,000 participants, including international delegates from 42 EMBs and Heads of Mission from 27 countries. The EMB Leaders’ Plenary brought together heads of delegations and ambassadors for high-level discussions on democracy and election management.
On the second day, the Election Commission of India launched ECINET, its one-stop digital platform for election-related information and services.
Throughout the conference, 36 thematic groups, led by CEOs of States and union Territories and supported by leading national and international academic institutions, engaged in in-depth deliberations on global electoral challenges, best practices, innovations and evolving international standards.
