The Election Commission of India (ECI) is promoting the use of the ECINET platform for voters to access details about candidates’ educational backgrounds and criminal records ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections and by-elections. Through the “Know Your Candidates” feature on ECINET, citizens can conveniently gather essential information about candidates. The ECI has announced the election schedules for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, along with by-elections in various states on March 15.
Voters will find 1,955 candidates contesting in the upcoming elections for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and the by-elections in four states on April 9. Nominations for the Assembly elections in West Bengal (Phase I and II) and Tamil Nadu have commenced, with the deadline for candidature withdrawal set for April 9 and April 13, respectively. The ECI emphasizes the significance of informed voting and encourages citizens to utilize the Know Your Candidates module on ECINET to access comprehensive candidate information, including criminal records, assets, educational qualifications, and verified social media profiles.
ECINET, described as the world’s largest electoral service platform, integrates more than 40 applications and portals to offer voters a seamless experience. The platform provides a variety of services such as voter registration, electoral roll searches, communication with election officials, booking appointments with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), e-EPIC downloads, polling trends, and grievance redressal. Additionally, ECINET serves as a one-stop solution for real-time information access and complaint resolution, featuring tools like cVIGIL for reporting violations and Saksham to ensure accessible electoral services for individuals with disabilities.
