Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar To Chair Global Democracy Body

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is set to assume the Chairmanship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for the year 2026, as he said on Wednesday, marking a significant recognition of India's role as a global leader in democratic management.

The official handover is scheduled for December 3, 2025, at the Council of Member States meeting of International IDEA, which will be held in Stockholm, Sweden.  

As a chair member, Kumar will be responsible for presiding over all council meetings throughout his one-year term in 2026, guiding the agenda of the 35-member intergovernmental organisation dedicated to strengthening democratic institutions worldwide. 

"The Chairmanship 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 stated in its press note.

India is a founding member of the International IIDEA, which was established in 1995. In his new role, CEC Kumar is expected to leverage India's vast and unmatched experience in conducting the world's largest elections to influence International IDEA's global 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 stated.

"Joint programmes, workshops and research collaborations between 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," it added.

The India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) has established itself as a global training hub since its inception. It has trained election officials from nearly 142 countries, reaching a total of 3,169 officials worldwide. Furthermore, IIIDEM has formalised cooperation by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 28 countries.

Under the leadership of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, International IDEA (IDEA) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) are set to intensify their collaboration. 

Their focus will be on documenting and internationally sharing the ECI's technological and administrative innovations and best practices. This enhanced partnership follows recent high-level interactions, including a meeting held at the ECI headquarters in New Delhi in October. 

The CEC, along with the Election Commissioner, met with a delegation from IIDEA led by Secretary General Kevin Casas Zamora, Chief of Staff Jessica Kehayes, and Secretary Sibi George. 

This event occurred just months after the CEC delivered the keynote address at the Stockholm International Conference on Electoral Integrity in June.

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