**Summary of General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and Bye-elections 2026 Policy Implementation**
The Election Commission of India (ECI) successfully utilized its robust IT platform, **ECINET**, to streamline operations, enhance transparency, and ensure cybersecurity during the General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and Bye-elections in 2026. Following a beta test during the November 2025 Bihar elections and an official launch in January 2026, the platform became a central component for real-time monitoring and reporting.
**Key Performance Metrics and Data Points:**
* **Adoption:** The ECINET app surpassed 10 crore downloads as of May 2026.
* **Poll-Day Traffic:** On the primary polling dates (April 9, 23, and 29), the platform recorded over 98.3 crore hits.
* **Counting Day Traffic:** On May 4, 2026, the platform handled a peak average of 3 crore hits per minute.
* **Cybersecurity:** ECINET protocols successfully neutralized over 68 lakh malicious hits originating from domestic and overseas sources, protecting the results portal and other key election platforms.
* **Access Control:** For the first time, a QR code-based Photo Identity Card system was implemented across all States/UTs. On counting day, over 3.2 lakh QR codes were generated to regulate and secure entry to counting centers.
**Release Information:**
* **Posted On:** 06 May 2026, 4:42 PM by PIB Delhi
* **Release ID:** 2258398
* **Visitor Counter:** 499
* **Reference Codes:** PK/GDH/RP
Key Entities Referenced
ECINET: The primary IT platform used by the Election Commission of India for real-time monitoring, reporting, and managing cybersecurity during the 2026 elections.
Election Commission of India (ECI): The constitutional body responsible for conducting and overseeing the General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and Bye-elections 2026.
QR code-based Photo Identity Card system: A newly introduced security initiative deployed through ECINET to regulate authorized access to counting venues across all States and Union Territories.
Election Commission
General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and
Bye-elections 2026
ECINET ensures seamless operations, faster reporting and
enhanced cybersecurity
Posted On: 06 MAY 2026 4:42PM by PIB Delhi
1. Election Commission of India’s (ECI) robust IT platform ECINET played a central role in
streamlining election processes including real-time monitoring, enabling faster reporting, and
enhancing transparency during the General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and Bye-
elections 2026.
2. Since its official launch in January 2026, ECINET app has witnessed a significant surge in
usage and has over 10 crore downloads till date. The beta version of ECINET was used in
Bihar elections in November 2025.
3. On poll-days, i.e., April 9, 23 and 29, ECINET recorded over 98.3 crore hits and on the
counting day i.e. May 4, 2026, ECINET recorded an average of 3 crore hits per minute.
4. ECINET cybersecurity protocols resulted in effectively countering over 68 lakh malicious
hits on counting day originating from both within India and overseas, targeting key election
platforms, including the results portal.
5. In a significant step towards enhancing security at the Counting Centres, a new QR code–
based Photo Identity Card system was used for the first time on counting day across all
States/UTs in these elections through ECINET.
6. On counting day, over 3.2 lakh QR codes were generated to ensure that only authorised
personnel could access counting venues, thereby preventing any unauthorized entry in the
Counting Centers.
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PK/GDH/RP
(Release ID: 2258398) Visitor Counter : 499
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