New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Thursday held bilateral meetings with the heads of 32 Election Management Bodies on the sidelines of the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM)-2026.
Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, led the discussions. Officials said the ECI bilateral meetings focused on sharing global electoral practices and strengthening democratic cooperation.
During the interactions, participants discussed a wide range of electoral innovations and management experiences from different countries. The engagements aimed to deepen India’s long-standing partnerships in election administration.
The ECI offered to collaborate with partner EMBs to help them develop technology platforms similar to ECINET, in line with their domestic legal frameworks. In addition, it offered training support for election officials through the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management.
ECI bilateral meetings focus on technology and global cooperation
Several EMBs appreciated India’s ECINET digital platform and expressed interest in adopting similar technological solutions in their own countries. Officials said the discussions reflected growing global demand for secure and transparent election management systems.
The Election Commission said the ECI bilateral meetings set the tone for high-level dialogue on the future of democracy and electoral governance. They also aligned with India’s overarching theme as Chair of International IDEA, “Democracy for inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.”
Officials said such engagements reinforced India’s role as a knowledge partner in election management and democratic capacity building. Further cooperation initiatives are expected to emerge from these discussions.
