The ‘Know Your Candidates (KYC)’ feature launched on the ECINet platform marks a major step towards cleaner and more transparent elections in India ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. Introduced by the Election Commission of India, the initiative empowers voters with easy access to verified information about electoral candidates.
Through the KYC feature, voters can view essential details such as candidates’ criminal records, assets and liabilities, educational qualifications, and verified social media profiles. Importantly, citizens can also download Form 26 affidavits, which candidates are legally required to submit during nominations, enabling informed voting decisions.
ECINet itself is positioned as the world’s largest integrated electoral digital platform, bringing together over 40 election-related applications into a single interface. Apart from candidate information, it offers voter registration services, electoral roll search, grievance redressal, application tracking, and access to digital voter IDs (e-EPIC). Tools like cVIGIL for reporting Model Code of Conduct violations and Saksham for assisting persons with disabilities further strengthen inclusivity.
With Assembly elections due in states such as Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, the KYC feature reflects a strong push towards transparency, accountability, and digital participation—placing credible information directly in the hands of voters.
