New Delhi, July 20: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who also serves as the Chair of the International IDEA Council of Member States, met with Eric Jean-Marie Ginsou, the Ambassador of Benin to India, on Monday. They discussed issues related to election management and collaboration in training election personnel.
An official statement indicated that the meeting took place at the Election Commission office in New Delhi. The Election Commission shared images from the meeting on social media, highlighting the discussions between Kumar and Ginsou.
During their conversation, they committed to working together to advance the agenda set for the upcoming Second World Conference on Election Development (IICDEM) in 2026. They also agreed to enhance cooperation in strengthening election management and training election staff.
Earlier, upon formally accepting the presidency of the International IDEA Council of Member States for 2026, Gyanesh Kumar emphasized India’s long democratic heritage. He highlighted the decades of experience the Election Commission of India (ECI) has in conducting transparent and reliable elections.
In December 2025, while addressing representatives from member states, observer countries, and officials of International IDEA, Kumar delivered his acceptance speech first in Hindi and then in English. He described the ECI as the constitutional body responsible for conducting elections for the President, Vice President, Parliament, and State Legislatures.
Kumar noted that India has over 90 million voters across its 28 states and eight Union territories, supported by a robust and well-established electoral system developed over nearly 75 years. He pointed out that during Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission becomes the world’s largest organization, deploying over a million personnel nationwide.
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