NEW DELHI: Chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, who on Wednesday accepted the chairship of International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) in Stockholm, Sweden, said India, armed with 75 years of experience in conducting transparent elections and preparing accurate electoral rolls based on eligibility, intends to share its learnings with the world to help democracies worldwide become more inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable.In his acceptance speech at the IIDEA event, Kumar assured its 35 member countries and 2 observer nations that they will, “with cooperation among all democratic nations….work in an exemplary manner to further strengthen and enhance transparency in democracy and democratic processes across the world.”EC in a statement on Wednesday said assumption of chairship of IIDEA by India “marks a significant milestone, reflecting global recognition of the Election Commission of India (EC) as one of the world’s most credible and innovative election management bodies (EMBs)”.Kumar, in his remarks at the event in Stockholm, said every Indian felt honoured to see their country as IIDEA Chair. He pledged that India’s chairmanship would be decisive, ambitious and action oriented. Kumar said he intends to steer the council’s work around India’s overall theme for the chairship – ‘Democracy for inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world’ and focus on two key pillars — ‘reimagining democracy for the future’ and ‘independent & professional election management bodies for sustainable democracy’. IIDEA is an intergovernmental organisation created in February 1995, with India as a founding member, to support sustainable democracy worldwide. It has evolved into a key global convenor for EMBs, constitutional experts, political institutions and democratic practitioners from across continents. Recalling the massive scale of 2024 general election in India — involving over 900 million electors, 20,000 candidates representing 743 political parties and 20 million election personnel engaged by EC — Kumar said EC, while conducting Lok Sabha elections, “becomes the largest organisation in the world”.The CEC concluded his speech by stating that India will endeavour to ensure that every vote counts, every voice matters and that democracies worldwide become more inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable.While India will be in the Chairship for the year 2026, Mauritius and Mexico will be the Vice Chairs.Earlier, after his arrival in Stockholm, the CEC held a discussion with the Secretary-General of IIDEA, Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora.
