‘New golden chapter’: India, Indonesia sign Election Commission MoU to strengthen democratic cooperation

July 7, 2026 3:41 PM

‘New golden chapter’: India, Indonesia sign Election Commission MoU to strengthen democratic cooperation

India and Indonesia on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between their Election Commissions to strengthen democratic cooperation, marking another milestone in the growing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The agreement was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day state visit to Indonesia, where he held bilateral talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Addressing a joint press statement after the delegation-level talks, PM...

ECI issues notification for assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar; nomination process begins

July 6, 2026 6:28 PM

ECI issues notification for assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar; nomination process begins

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued notifications for by-elections to three Legislative Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar, formally setting the electoral process in motion with the commencement of nomination filing. The bypolls will be held for Datia (22) in Madhya Pradesh, Manjalpur (145) in Gujarat and Bankipur (182) in Bihar to fill vacant Assembly seats. According to the election schedule announced by the Commission, the last date for filing n...

ECI announces Phase-III Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across 16 states and 3 UTs

May 14, 2026 3:20 PM

ECI announces Phase-III Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across 16 states and 3 UTs

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced the launch of Phase-III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 16 States and three Union Territories. According to the ECI, the schedule for the third phase has been planned in coordination with the ongoing Census house-listing exercise, as both activities involve the same field-level machinery. With the rollout of Phase-III, the SIR process will now cover the entire country, barring Himachal Pradesh, Jammu...

ECI introduces QR code-based ID system to secure counting centres

April 30, 2026 4:54 PM

ECI introduces QR code-based ID system to secure counting centres

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a QR code-based Photo Identity Card system to enhance security and prevent unauthorised access at counting centres during elections. The new system will be implemented starting May 4, during the counting of votes for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, as well as bye-elections in seven constituencies across five states. The poll body said the mechanism will subsequently be extended to all future Lok S...

West Bengal records highest-ever voter turnout since Independence; Phase 2 election sees 91.66% polling

April 29, 2026 9:12 PM

West Bengal records highest-ever voter turnout since Independence; Phase 2 election sees 91.66% polling

West Bengal has recorded its highest-ever voter turnout since Independence, with an impressive 91.66% polling in Phase two of the Assembly elections on Wednesday, said the Election Commission of India (ECI). Polling for Phase-II began at 7:00 AM and continued till evening, with voter participation reaching 91.66% by 7:45 PM. Combined with Phase-I turnout of 93.19%, the overall polling percentage across the first two phases stands at a record 92.47%, surpassing the previous high of 84.72% record...

West Bengal assembly elections: Poll crackdown intensifies as seizures cross Rs 510 crore

April 27, 2026 9:47 PM

West Bengal assembly elections: Poll crackdown intensifies as seizures cross Rs 510 crore

Seizures of illicit inducements in West Bengal have crossed ₹510 crore ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, marking a significant escalation in enforcement action by the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to ECI, the total value of seizures in the state reached ₹510.10 crore between February 26 and April 27, surpassing the ₹339 crore recorded during the 2021 Assembly elections. The seizures include cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and other inducements intended to influen...

Poll seizures cross Rs 865 crore in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal ahead of assembly elections

April 17, 2026 5:54 PM

Poll seizures cross Rs 865 crore in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal ahead of assembly elections

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday said seizures related to election-related violations have crossed ₹865 crore in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal as enforcement measures intensify ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The Commission had announced the poll schedule on March 15 for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with bye-elections, and directed strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Massive enforcement drive under...

ECI mandates pre-certification of print ads ahead of 2026 assembly polls

April 6, 2026 4:10 PM

ECI mandates pre-certification of print ads ahead of 2026 assembly polls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made pre-certification of political advertisements in print media mandatory during the immediate pre-poll period and on polling day for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections and bye-elections. The directive applies to elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, where polling is scheduled in phases later this month. According to the poll body, no political party, candidate, organisation or individual will be allowed to publish ad...

ECI steps up vigil ahead of assembly elections, bypolls; seizures cross Rs 650 crore

April 5, 2026 3:24 PM

ECI steps up vigil ahead of assembly elections, bypolls; seizures cross Rs 650 crore

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday said seizures related to cash, liquor, drugs and other inducements have crossed ₹650 crore ahead of the upcoming assembly elections and bypolls across multiple states. According to the Commission, enforcement agencies have seized assets worth ₹651.51 crore since the activation of the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS) on February 26. The seizures include cash, liquor, narcotics, precious metals and other freebies aimed at influencing...

Election Commission launches ECINet KYC feature to help voters check candidates’ background

April 4, 2026 3:39 PM

Election Commission launches ECINet KYC feature to help voters check candidates’ background

Ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections and by-elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has urged voters to make informed choices by using the “Know Your Candidates” (KYC) module available on its ECINet platform. The Commission had earlier announced the poll schedule on March 15 for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, along with by-elections in several constituencies across multiple states. Over 1,900 Candidates in Fray According to the ECI, ...