Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar will chair the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) for the year 2026 .
Giving information in this regard, Haryana’s Chief Electoral Officer, A. Srinivas, disclosed today that Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar will assume the charge of Chairman at the meeting of the Council of Member Countries of International Idea to be held in Stockholm, Sweden on December 3, 2025. He will chair all the meetings of the Council during the year 2026 .
He explained that International Day, established in 1995 , is an intergovernmental organization that works to strengthen democratic institutions and processes around the world. It currently has 35 member countries, with the United States and Japan as observers. The organization promotes inclusive , resilient, and accountable democracies.
He said that this chairmanship is a significant achievement that gives the Election Commission of India global recognition as one of the world’s most credible and innovative election management bodies. India is a founding member of this organization and has consistently contributed to democratic discourse and institutional initiatives.
He said that as Chairman, Gyanesh Kumar will leverage India’s unique experience in conducting the world’s largest elections to shape International Idea’s global agenda. This will strengthen knowledge-sharing among election management institutions , strengthen professional networks, and advance evidence-based global electoral reforms. With the world’s largest electoral roll of nearly 1 billion voters and transparent and well-documented electoral processes, India will share its best practices with election bodies around the world throughout the year.
He said that joint programmes , workshops and research collaborations between the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Management, the Election Commission’s training institute, and International IDEM will further strengthen preparedness to address challenges such as misinformation , electoral violence and loss of voter confidence globally . Since its inception, IIDEM has signed MoUs with 28 countries and provided training to 3,169 officials from about 142 countries .
He said that under the leadership of the Chief Election Commissioner, International Idea and the Election Commission will work together to document and disseminate the ECI’s technical and administrative innovations and best practices internationally. This chairmanship is a testament to India’s strong democratic traditions and its global leadership in election management.
