ECI marks 16th National Voters’ Day; President underlines faith at heart of democracy

President Droupadi Murmu says voting reflects citizens’ trust in the electoral process

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday celebrated the 16th National Voters’ Day (NVD-2026) in the national capital with the theme “My India, My Vote” and the tagline “Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy.”

Droupadi Murmu graced the event as chief guest. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (independent charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal attended as guest of honour. The programme was led by chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

Addressing the gathering, the President said the strength of India’s democracy lies not only in the size of its electorate but also in the depth of its democratic spirit. She expressed confidence that voters—free from temptation, ignorance, misinformation, propaganda and prejudice—would continue to strengthen the electoral system through the power of conscience. “Voting is not merely a political expression; it is a reflection of citizens’ faith in the democratic process of elections,” she said.

As a symbolic gesture, the President handed over Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) to five newly enrolled young voters, highlighting the centrality of youth participation.

Awards and recognitions

The President also presented Best Electoral Practices Awards across multiple categories. Bihar, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were recognised for effective use of technology; Odisha, Meghalaya and Bihar for election management and logistics; Bihar, Gujarat and Kerala for innovative voter awareness; Mizoram and Bihar for implementation of the Model Code of Conduct; and Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand for training and capacity building. Special awards were conferred on Bihar and Delhi.

In media categories, awards went to Dainik Jagran, NSD: Akashvani, News18 Bihar-Jharkhand and the office of the CEO, Bihar.

Global leadership and reforms

The chief election commissioner said India is not only the world’s largest democracy but also among the most transparent, noting global confidence reflected in India’s leadership of International IDEA and the adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026 at IICDEM-2026. He added that IIIDEM is emerging as a global training hub for election management, while the ECINET technology platform is drawing international interest. Clean electoral rolls and active citizen participation, he said, remain foundational to a living democracy.

Election commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said the presentation of EPICs to new voters was a source of pride and motivation for the electoral community. Election commissioner Vivek Joshi described the EPIC as a “badge of responsibility,” underscoring the role of voters in shaping the destiny of the world’s largest democracy.

Publications released

Two publications were released on the occasion: “2025: A Year of Initiatives & Innovations” and “Chunav Ka Parv, Bihar Ka Garv.”

The first documents more than 30 initiatives undertaken by the ECI in 2025, covering reforms in electoral rolls, election conduct, technology adoption, capacity building, engagement with political parties, and India’s leadership at International IDEA. It also reviews major elections conducted during the year, including the vice-presidential election, NCT Delhi assembly elections and the Bihar legislative assembly elections.

The Bihar-focused volume chronicles the 2025 assembly elections, anchored in a special intensive revision of electoral rolls, which recorded the highest turnout since 1951 at 67.3 per cent, with women voters participating at 71.8 per cent.

A video highlighting ECI’s global leadership in electoral management was screened, and a dedicated exhibition showcased electoral roll preparation, conduct of elections and recent voter-centric initiatives, alongside highlights from the Bihar assembly elections, 2025.

Simultaneous NVD celebrations were held across states and districts through CEOs and DEOs, with booth-level officers organising local events, felicitating newly registered voters and distributing EPICs.