The India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management wrapped up in New Delhi on Friday, with the unanimous adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026. Hosted by the Election Commission of India, the event gathered heads of election management bodies from 42 countries, along with experts and officials from India, to explore ways to enhance democratic processes globally.
The Delhi Declaration 2026 highlights five key pillars that participating nations have committed to pursuing collaboratively. The first pillar underscores the importance of maintaining accurate electoral rolls, with a focus on issuing photo identity cards to all eligible voters for transparent voting processes.
One of the pillars emphasizes the need for elections to be inclusive, participatory, and fair, urging election bodies to operate within legal frameworks to ensure credible results. Additionally, the conference pledged to create an Encyclopaedia of Democracies of the World, detailing electoral systems and themes coordinated by International IDEA and India’s International Institute of Democracy and Election Management.
Regarding technology, the declaration stresses responsible use, advocating for the adoption of modern tools to aid voters and combat misinformation while upholding electoral integrity. India has offered to share its digital platform experience to assist other countries in developing similar systems tailored to their legal requirements and languages.
The fifth pillar focuses on training and capacity building, with India extending invitations to global election officials to benefit from its expertise through training programs and best practice exchanges. The International Institute of Democracy and Election Management will support the professionalization of election management and voter roll preparation worldwide.
In conclusion, all participants agreed to implement these pillars through collaboration, innovation, and regular reviews, scheduling an annual meeting for progress assessment. The next meeting is set for December 3 to 5, 2026, at the institute in New Delhi, following the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on January 23, 2026.
