ECINET: India's Digital Election Platform Formally Launched for Global Collaboration
The Election Commission of India made a significant technological leap on Thursday by formally launching ECINET — a comprehensive single digital platform that integrates over 40 different election-related applications and portals. The unveiling took place at the ongoing India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) in New Delhi, marking a milestone in electoral technology.
A Platform Eight Years in the Making
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while addressing delegates from approximately 42 Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide, highlighted that ECINET represents the culmination of IT innovations developed by the Election Commission over an extensive eight-year period. The platform has been meticulously designed to comply with election laws and is available in 22 Indian languages alongside English, ensuring broad accessibility across the nation's diverse linguistic landscape.
In a groundbreaking offer, Kumar proposed that the EC team responsible for developing ECINET could collaborate with representatives from other EMBs to create similar platforms tailored to their respective countries' legal frameworks and languages. "I would request the EMBs to examine this, and if you so request, EC will be more than willing to work with you on this score," he stated during the launch event.
Global Interest and Training Support
The collaboration proposal generated immediate interest during bilateral meetings between the Election Commission and heads of 32 EMBs from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Portugal, Peru, The Philippines, and Sri Lanka. These discussions revealed a strong international appetite for adopting similar digital solutions in their electoral processes.
Beyond platform development, India also offered to provide comprehensive training support to officials of foreign EMBs through the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM). This dual approach of technology transfer and capacity building underscores India's commitment to strengthening democratic institutions worldwide.
Comprehensive Features and Citizen-Centric Design
ECINET was conceived as a one-stop digital platform by Kumar along with Election Commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, with its development officially announced in May 2025. The platform integrates numerous separate EC applications designed to serve various stakeholders:
- Citizens seeking voter registration and electoral roll searches
- Candidates and political parties requiring election-related services
- Election officials managing electoral processes
The platform offers essential services including:
- 'Track Your Application' for real-time status updates
- 'Know Your Candidate' for voter information
- 'Connect with Election Officials' for direct communication
- 'Book-a-Call with the BLO' for personalized assistance
- e-EPIC download for digital voter identification
- Near-realtime polling trends during elections
- Grievance redressal mechanisms for prompt issue resolution
"I formally launch ECINET for the world for better elections and for a much more transparent and efficient sharing of information with billions of users at all points in time," declared Kumar during the ceremonial launch.
Successful Pilot and Continuous Improvement
The beta version of ECINET underwent rigorous testing during the 2025 Bihar assembly elections and the preceding Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This pilot phase successfully demonstrated the platform's capability to deliver enhanced citizen-centric electoral services while making all election-related information accessible at the click of a button.
Before finalizing the platform, the Election Commission actively sought suggestions from citizens, receiving approximately 53,000 inputs that significantly shaped ECINET's development. Kumar revealed that the application has been continuously updated based on this feedback, sometimes undergoing modifications by the hour to ensure optimal performance and user experience.
Impressive Adoption Metrics
Since its beta release, ECINET has demonstrated remarkable adoption and utility:
- Processed over 10 crore registration forms
- Averaged 2.7 lakh forms processed daily
- Registered more than 11 lakh Booth-Level Officers (BLOs)
- Digitized over 150 crore documents to date
Emphasis on Transparency and Cybersecurity
Election Commissioner S S Sandhu emphasized that ECINET serves as a powerful tool to enhance trust in Election Management Bodies by introducing greater transparency while facilitating quick decision-making and information dissemination. Fellow Commissioner Vivek Joshi noted that IICEDM 2026 would provide EMBs with opportunities to draw from global best practices regarding technology adoption and digital innovations.
Dr. Seema Khanna, Director General (Information Technology) at the Election Commission, highlighted cybersecurity as one of ECINET's fundamental pillars. She emphasized that the platform significantly enhances transparency, efficiency, credibility, and public trust in electoral processes through robust security measures and user-friendly design.
The launch of ECINET represents not just a technological advancement for India's electoral system but positions the country as a potential global leader in digital election management solutions, ready to share its expertise with democratic nations worldwide.
