On the 16th National Voters’ Day, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar delivered a powerful address reaffirming India’s status as the world’s largest and most transparent democracy.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar (File Photo)
On the 16th National Voters’ Day, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar delivered a powerful address reaffirming India’s status as the world’s largest and most transparent democracy. The event, attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Election Commissioners, political leaders, and first-time voters, celebrated the critical role of voters in sustaining India’s democratic fabric.
Kumar traced India’s democratic heritage to ancient times, citing assemblies from the Atharvaveda era, the Vaishali Republic, and the Chola period’s Kudavolai voting system. He also highlighted India’s recent election as chair of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), underscoring growing international trust in India’s electoral system.
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The Chief Election Commissioner pointed to the landmark international summit on democracy and election management held in New Delhi, which brought together around 70 democracies and culminated in the Delhi Declaration 2026, emphasising India’s leadership in democratic governance.
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Kumar praised the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), established 15 years ago, as the world’s largest election management training institution, which has trained thousands of officials from over 100 countries and forged international partnerships.
In 2025, IIIDEM trained more than 5,000 Booth Level Officers and supervisors, introduced standardised photo ID cards, and supported nearly 28,000 political representatives in 4,719 multi-party meetings to promote transparency and cooperation.
The Election Commission, he said, also implemented 30 voter-centric initiatives in 2025, including limiting polling stations to 1,200 voters, allowing mobile phone deposits at polling centres, and enhancing Electronic Voting Machines with clearer candidate identification features.
Emphasising the importance of accurate electoral rolls, Kumar highlighted the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative to ensure voter lists are precise and inclusive. He introduced the ECINet App, a unified digital platform consolidating nearly 40 existing apps, which attracted international attention.
Reflecting on recent elections, Kumar cited the successful conduct of 15 by-elections and the Vice-Presidential election. He celebrated the historic Bihar Assembly elections, which recorded the highest voter turnout since 1951 at 67.3 per cent, with women voters participating at 71.8 per cent, and no repolling required.
The National Voters’ Day 2026 theme, “My India, My Vote: Indian Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy,” reflects the Election Commission’s unwavering commitment to transparency, voter convenience, trust, and dignity.
Paying tribute to Indian voters, Kumar said: “Your participation keeps our democracy vibrant. Your vote is India’s greatest strength.” He called for a collective pledge to “embrace democracy, live it, cherish it, and strengthen it for generations to come.”
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