CEC Gyanesh Kumar assumes chair of international poll body for 2026

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Wednesday assumed the chairship of the Council of Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for the year 2026 at Stockholm.

In his acceptance speech, Kumar highlighted the scale of India's democratic exercise, noting that the country has over 900 million electors across 28 states and eight Union Territories.

Reflecting upon the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said that India witnessed a breathtaking democratic spectacle where over 20,000 candidates from 743 political parties, including six national and 67 state parties, participated.

Affirming the direction ahead, the chief election commissioner (CEC) pledged that India's chairmanship will be decisive, ambitious and action-oriented.

As chair, Kumar will steer the council's work around India's overall theme for the Chairship "Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world," the Election Commission said in a statement here.

The CEC said that India will endeavour to ensure that every vote counts, every voice matters and that democracies worldwide become more inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable.

Alongside India in the chairship, Mauritius and Mexico will take over as the vice chairs of the International IDEA Council for the year 2026.