CEC Gyanesh Kumar to Chair International IDEA; India to Lead 30-Nation Democratic Forum in 2026

New Delhi, December 2: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will assume the chairship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) on December 3 in Stockholm, representing India at the global inter-governmental forum that promotes democratic governance and electoral integrity.

The announcement marks a significant moment as International IDEA completes 30 years of supporting democracies worldwide. India, a founding member of the organisation, will lead the body in 2026.

International IDEA is a 35-member inter-governmental organisation, with the United States and Japan participating as observers. Established in 1995, it works to strengthen democratic institutions, support electoral reforms, and promote political participation across member countries.

India’s leadership role is seen as global recognition of the Election Commission’s record in conducting free, fair and transparent elections. With over 90 crore registered voters, India is the world’s largest democracy and contributes the highest electorate among IDEA member countries—more than the combined voter population of several major democracies.

International IDEA also holds observer status at the United Nations General Assembly, and India has played an active role in its governance processes, research programmes and capacity-building initiatives.

The Election Commission said India will draw from its vast electoral management experience to contribute to IDEA’s initiatives in 2026, focusing on strengthening election bodies across the world.

An annexure issued with the announcement lists the voter populations of all 35 member and observer countries. India leads with 991 million electors, followed by the United States (234 million), Indonesia (204 million), Brazil (155 million) and Japan (103 million). The cumulative electorate across IDEA countries stands at 2.22 billion.