EC to host international conference on election management, democracy, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Election Commission of India (EC) will host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM), 2026 in New Delhi this week.
• Around 100 delegates from over 70 countries will participate in the three-day conference from January 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam.
• The conference is organized by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), under the EC.
• The EC will launch ECINET, a digital platform for election-related information, and hold over 40 bilateral meetings with Election Management Bodies (EMBs).

Detailed Insights:

• The IICDEM aims to be the largest global conference hosted by India in the field of democracy and election management.
• Participants include representatives from international organizations, foreign missions, and academic experts in the electoral domain.
• The conference will feature general and plenary sessions for EMBs, focusing on global electoral issues, international electoral standards, and innovations in electoral processes.
• Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi will inaugurate the session.
• Thematic groups, led by CEOs of States and Union Territories, will contribute to in-depth discussions during the conference.
• An exhibition will showcase the scale of conducting elections in India and recent EC initiatives to strengthen electoral rolls and election conduct.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Election Management Body (EMB): An organization responsible for the conduct of elections and referendums.
• Electoral Roll: A list of persons who are registered and eligible to vote in an election.
• Democracy: A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.