New Delhi : Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, engaged with global scholars and policymakers during a round-table discussion titled “Inside India’s Democracy” at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) in Stockholm today. The session also featured former Swedish Foreign Minister Ms. Ann Linde as a co-panelist and focused on India’s democratic evolution, electoral scale and global democratic cooperation.
The event comes a day after Shri Gyanesh Kumar formally assumed the Chairship of the Council of Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for the year 2026. His official visit to Sweden concludes later today.
India’s Growing Global Leadership in Democratic Governance :
India’s assumption of the Chairship marks a significant global acknowledgement of the Election Commission of India (ECI) as one of the world’s most trusted and innovative Election Management Bodies. As a founding member of International IDEA, India has long played an active role in shaping democratic dialogue and governance frameworks across the world.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar was warmly received in Stockholm by the Indian Ambassador to Sweden, Shri Anurag Bhushan. He also held discussions with Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA, on deepening institutional collaborations.
Showcasing the Scale of India’s Democratic Exercise :
In his acceptance address, Shri Kumar highlighted the extraordinary scale and diversity of India’s electoral system. India, he noted, has more than 900 million electors across 28 states and 8 Union Territories, making it the largest democracy on the planet.
Recalling the 2024 General Elections, he described it as a “breathtaking democratic spectacle,” involving :
Over 20,000 candidates from
743 political parties (including 6 national and 67 state parties)
More than 20 million election personnel, including:
1 million Booth Level Officers
5 million polling staff
He further underscored that since independence in 1947, India has successfully conducted 18 general elections to Parliament and over 400 State Assembly elections, setting global benchmarks for inclusivity and transparency.
Vision for India’s 2026 Chairship
Shri Gyanesh Kumar pledged that India’s leadership of the Council will be “decisive, ambitious and action-oriented.” Under the overarching theme — “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world” — India will advance two critical priority areas:
Reimagining Democracy for the Future
Strengthening Independent and Professional Election Management Bodies
He emphasized India’s commitment to sharing its electoral expertise, as well as the democratic values rooted in its civilizational ethos.
“The goal,” he concluded, “is to ensure that every vote counts, every voice matters, and that democracies worldwide become more inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable.”
Vice Chairs for 2026 Announced
Alongside India’s Chairship, Mauritius and Mexico have been selected as Vice Chairs of the International IDEA Council for 2026, strengthening the multilateral partnership for global democratic development.