The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a press note highlighting important updates regarding the General Elections and bye-elections 2026, along with a strong emphasis on voter awareness through its ECINet platform.
The Commission has announced that elections will be conducted for the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, along with bye-elections in multiple states. A total of 1,955 candidates are contesting in the elections scheduled for April 9, 2026, in select states.
The nomination process for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal has commenced, with the last date for withdrawal of candidature set as April 9, 2026, for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase-I), and April 13, 2026, for West Bengal (Phase-II).To enhance transparency and empower voters, the ECI has encouraged citizens to use the “Know Your Candidates (KYC)” module available on the ECINet platform.
Through this feature, voters can access detailed information about candidates, including their criminal records, assets, liabilities, educational qualifications, and verified social media profiles.The ECINet platform integrates more than 40 applications and portals, offering a seamless digital experience for voters.
Key services include voter registration, electoral roll search, application tracking, e-EPIC download, polling updates, grievance redressal, and direct communication with election officials.
Additionally, ECINet provides tools such as cVIGIL for reporting election violations and Saksham to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities.The Election Commission has urged all citizens to make use of these digital services to stay informed and participate actively in the democratic process.Issued in public interest.
