The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday 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, which will conclude on Thursday, brings together election administrators, academics, researchers, and media experts to deliberate on emerging challenges in election management, particularly in the digital age. More than 480 participants, including District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), thematic experts, research scholars, and members of Electoral Literacy Clubs, are attending the event.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the ECI has been strengthening engagement with voters through extensive training programmes for grassroots-level election functionaries, including Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs).
He noted that the confidence of voters in the electoral process was reflected in the record participation witnessed during the recently concluded Assembly elections. The conference aims to create practitioner-oriented global knowledge resources by documenting international experiences, model standards and best practices in election management.
The discussions and recommendations emerging from the event are expected to contribute to a thematic report envisioned under the Delhi Declaration, which was adopted during the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management held in January this year.
Key sessions during the conference are focusing on pressing issues confronting electoral democracies across the world. These include the spread of misinformation and disinformation, the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes and synthetic media, non-transparent digital political advertising, and the role of online platforms in ensuring accountability during election campaigns.
The event is being organised by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, in collaboration with IIIDEM and Delhi Technological University (DTU). It is being held under India's 2026 chairship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).