Election Commission Unveils QR Code-Based ID System for Counting Centres

NEW DELHI — In a major step to eliminate unauthorized entry and bolster the integrity of the counting process, the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday announced the rollout of QR code-based photo identity cards.

The system will make its debut during the counting for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, as well as seven crucial byelections across the country.

The ‘Three-Tier’ Security Wall

The EC has prescribed a rigorous, multi-layered verification process to ensure that only authorized personnel can get anywhere near the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during counting:

• Tier 1 & 2 (Outer Cordons): Manual checking of photo identity cards issued by the Returning Officer (RO).
• Tier 3 (Innermost Cordon): This is the high-tech layer. Entry into the actual counting hall will be permitted only after a successful QR code scan.

Who gets the QR-Enabled Cards?

The new digital IDs will be mandatory for all personnel authorized by the EC, including:

• Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs).
• Counting staff and technical personnel.
• Candidates, their election agents, and counting agents.

Tech Integration: ECINET 2.0

To manage this massive rollout, the EC has introduced a dedicated module on the ECINET 2.0 platform. This allows District Election Officers (DEOs) to generate and track these secure IDs in real-time, ensuring a “seamless and secure access control” system.

For the Press

While the counting halls remain restricted, a Media Centre will be established at each location. Authorized journalists will continue to use the authority letters issued by the EC, though their entry will be monitored at the outer security tiers.