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Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s Stockholm visit begins with a high-level meeting inside the Swedish Parliament- discussing democracy, global elections and what India plans to offer as he prepares to take charge of International IDEA.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar meets Swedish constitution committee
Stockholm: Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar, currently on an official visit to Sweden, met members of the Committee on the Constitution at the Swedish Parliament today. The two sides held extensive discussions on electoral systems, democratic values, institutional strengthening, and collaborative learning between the two democracies.
Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Stockholm a day earlier, marking the beginning of a series of high-level engagements ahead of his assumption of office as Chair of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
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During the meeting at the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament), the CEC and committee representatives exchanged views on electoral systems, transparency frameworks, voter participation, and innovations that make democratic practices more inclusive and resilient.
Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar met the Committee on the Constitution at the Swedish Parliament today, holding detailed discussions on key aspects of electoral processes and democratic functioning between India and Sweden.@ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI pic.twitter.com/b4o42lzWvf
— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) December 3, 2025
Confirming the meeting, the Election Commission of India (ECI) posted on X “CEC Gyanesh Kumar meets the Committee on the Constitution at the Swedish Parliament; holds discussions on various aspects of democracy.”
The interaction highlighted India’s experience in conducting the world’s largest elections and explored avenues for deeper cooperation on electoral research, institutional development, and governance.
Earlier in the day, Gyanesh Kumar unveiled a commemorative plaque at the International IDEA Headquarters. He also met the organisation’s Secretary-General, Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, to outline future priorities and cooperative strategies.
The Council of Member States of IIDEA will formally appoint Gyanesh Kumar as Chair during its upcoming meeting. Once assumed, he will preside over all council sessions throughout 2026, steering the global electoral agenda and fostering democratic partnerships across continents.
International IDEA, formed in 1995, is an inter-governmental organisation promoting democratic systems worldwide. It currently has 35 member countries, with the United States and Japan participating as Observer States.
The ECI described the forthcoming Chairship as “a significant milestone reflecting global trust in the Election Commission of India as one of the world’s most credible and innovative Election Management Bodies (EMBs).”
India is also a founding member of IIDEA and has contributed actively to its discussions, reforms, and governance frameworks over the years.
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As Chair, Gyanesh Kumar is expected to guide global electoral reforms by leveraging India’s uniquely large-scale polling experience. The ECI noted that collaboration under his leadership will strengthen professional networks among EMBs, enhance knowledge-sharing, and advance evidence-based democratic reforms worldwide.
India’s IIIDEM (India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management) has been playing a key global training role, signing MoUs with 28 nations and training 3,169 officials from nearly 142 countries so far.
Going forward, the ECI and IIDEA will work together to document and disseminate India’s technological innovations, administrative frameworks, and election management best practices for the global democratic community.
