The Election Commission of India (ECI) inaugurated a two-day international conference on “Global Best Practices and Innovations for Media in Electoral Processes and Campaigns” at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. The conference, bringing together election administrators, academics, researchers, and media experts, aims to address emerging challenges in election management, especially in the digital era. More than 480 participants, including District Election Officers (DEOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), are participating in the event.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar highlighted the ECI’s efforts in engaging voters through extensive training programs for grassroots-level election functionaries like Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs). He emphasized the voters’ confidence in the electoral process, evident in the high participation observed during recent Assembly elections. The conference seeks to develop global knowledge resources by documenting international experiences, model standards, and best practices in election management.
The event’s discussions and recommendations are anticipated to contribute to a thematic report outlined in the Delhi Declaration, adopted during the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management earlier this year. Key sessions at the conference focus on critical issues faced by electoral democracies worldwide, including misinformation, artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, non-transparent digital political advertising, and the role of online platforms in ensuring election campaign accountability. The conference is a collaborative effort by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, IIIDEM, and Delhi Technological University (DTU), held under India’s 2026 chairship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
