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Politics
Maharashtra Election Chief Seeks Discretionary Access to ECINet for Staff
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 29 Sep 2026, 10:16 PM
👁 9
The Maharashtra state election chief has asked for discretionary use of the ECINet system for his staff, a request that Election Commissioners have previously highlighted as a concern.
Maharashtra's chief election officer has formally requested that his team be granted discretionary access to the Election Commission's ECINet portal, arguing that it would streamline internal coordination during the upcoming state polls.
ECINet, the digital platform used by election officials across India to share data, issue orders and monitor polling activities, currently operates under a uniform access protocol. The chief's demand seeks to relax these controls for staff operating under his jurisdiction.
The proposal has drawn attention because senior Election Commissioners have previously flagged the need for consistent access rules, warning that selective discretion could create procedural disparities.
Officials at the Election Commission have not yet issued a final decision, but sources say the matter will be discussed in the next inter‑commission meeting, with implications for how election technology is managed in Maharashtra.
ECINet, the digital platform used by election officials across India to share data, issue orders and monitor polling activities, currently operates under a uniform access protocol. The chief's demand seeks to relax these controls for staff operating under his jurisdiction.
The proposal has drawn attention because senior Election Commissioners have previously flagged the need for consistent access rules, warning that selective discretion could create procedural disparities.
Officials at the Election Commission have not yet issued a final decision, but sources say the matter will be discussed in the next inter‑commission meeting, with implications for how election technology is managed in Maharashtra.