Citizens can access details on education, criminal cases, assets and social media accounts through the “Know Your Candidate” module
TFP Bureau, New Delhi, April 4, 2026: Voters can now easily access detailed information about electoral candidates, including their educational qualifications, criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities, through the ECINET platform launched by the Election Commission of India.
The facility has been made available through the “Know Your Candidate (KYC)” module on ECINET, allowing citizens to review the background details of candidates contesting the upcoming Assembly elections and by-elections scheduled in several states.
The election schedule for the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with by-elections in assembly constituencies of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura, was announced by the Election Commission on March 15.
According to official information, a total of 1,955 candidates are contesting the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, along with by-elections in four states that will go to the polls on April 9, 2026.
Meanwhile, the process of filing nominations has also begun for the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The last date for withdrawal of candidature has been fixed as April 9 for Tamil Nadu and Phase-I of West Bengal elections, while candidates contesting Phase-II of the West Bengal polls can withdraw their nominations until April 13.
To promote transparency and informed voting, the Election Commission has enabled voters to access candidate-related information through the KYC module available on ECINET. Through this feature, voters can review key details such as criminal cases pending against candidates, their financial declarations including assets and liabilities, educational qualifications and verified social media handles.
In addition, users can download the complete affidavit submitted by candidates in Form 26, which contains the official declarations filed during the nomination process. The facility is accessible under the “Conduct of Elections” section on the ECINET portal.
ECINET is described as the world’s largest electoral service platform, integrating more than 40 applications and portals of the Election Commission into a single digital interface. The platform aims to simplify electoral services for citizens across the country.
Apart from providing information about candidates, ECINET also offers a range of services for voters, including online voter registration, electoral roll search, application tracking, and communication with election officials. Voters can also schedule calls with Booth Level Officers, download their digital voter identity card (e-EPIC), and view polling-related information through the platform.
The portal further supports grievance redressal and complaint registration. Tools such as cVIGIL enable citizens to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct, while Saksham has been developed to ensure accessible electoral services for persons with disabilities.
Officials said the ECINET platform is designed to provide voters with a secure, single-window digital system for accessing election-related information and services, thereby strengthening transparency and encouraging greater participation in the democratic process.
