New Delhi: In a significant tightening of election security protocols, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that it will introduce a QR code-based Photo Identity Card system to regulate and monitor entry into counting centres, starting with the vote counting scheduled on May 4, 2026.
The move comes amid heightened focus on safeguarding the integrity of the counting process, which remains one of the most sensitive stages of elections. The new system is designed to eliminate the possibility of unauthorised persons gaining access by stealth, deceit, or accident to counting venues, a concern that has surfaced periodically in past electoral cycles.
ECI Introduces QR-Based ID System to Strengthen Security at Counting Centres
🔹To eliminate the possibility of any unauthorised persons from entering counting centres, the Election Commission of India has introduced a QR code–based Photo Identity Card module on ECINET…
— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 30, 2026
Where It Will Be Implemented First
The QR-based access system (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2256955®=3&lang=2) will be deployed during counting for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry that will take place on May 4, along with by-elections in seven Assembly constituencies spread across five states.
The Election Commission has made it clear that this is not a one-off measure. The system will be institutionalised and extended to all future elections, including the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls, indicating a structural shift in how access control is managed at counting centres nationwide.
How the QR-Based System Will Work
At the core of the new mechanism is a digital authentication layer built into Photo Identity Cards generated through the ECINET platform. Each authorised individual will carry a QR-coded ID, which can be scanned to verify authenticity in real time.
The verification process is part of a three-tier security framework
At the outer and intermediate layers, identity cards issued by the Returning Officer will continue to be checked manually, ensuring continuity with existing procedures.
At the innermost security cordon, near the counting hall itself, access will be strictly contingent on successful QR code scanning. Without digital verification, entry will not be permitted.
This layered approach combines manual scrutiny with digital authentication, reducing the chances of impersonation, duplication, or misuse of entry credentials.
Who Will Need the QR-Based IDs
The system will cover all categories of individuals authorised to enter counting centres. This includes Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, counting staff, technical personnel, candidates, election agents and counting agents.
By bringing all stakeholders under a single, standardised verification framework, the ECI is aiming to plug gaps that can arise from fragmented or paper-based access systems.
Media Access and On-Ground Arrangements
While the QR system will apply broadly, media personnel will continue to be allowed entry based on authority letters issued by the Commission, in line with existing norms. It also explains why the EC has chosen to space the last polling and final counting date at least 4 days apart.
To streamline coverage and avoid crowding near sensitive zones, dedicated media centres will be set up near counting halls at each counting centre. This is expected to create a buffer between operational areas and media activity, while still ensuring access to information.
Implementation on the Ground
The Commission has directed Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers, and Returning Officers to ensure strict and uniform implementation of the new system.
This includes deploying trained personnel at designated checkpoints, ensuring QR scanners are operational, and maintaining seamless coordination between different layers of security.
Officials have also been instructed to treat compliance as critical to upholding the “highest standards of transparency, security and efficiency” in the counting process.
Part of a Larger Push for Electoral Security
The QR-based ID system is not an isolated reform. The ECI noted that it forms part of a broader series of over 30 initiatives undertaken in the past year to modernise and secure various aspects of election management.
These measures have increasingly leaned on technology to enhance traceability, accountability and real-time verification, particularly in high-stakes phases such as polling and counting.
Why This Matters
Counting centres are high-pressure environments where candidates, agents, officials and media converge, often in large numbers. Any lapse in access control can lead to confusion, disputes or allegations that undermine public trust.
By introducing a digitally verifiable identity system backed by layered security checks, the ECI is attempting to minimise human error, prevent unauthorised entry, and create an auditable access trail.
As elections grow more complex and closely contested, such measures are likely to become standard practice rather than exceptions.
Counting Day Statistics That You Need To Know
On May 4, the counting exercise will span a vast electoral canvas across five poll-bound states and multiple bypoll segments, covering hundreds of Assembly constituencies and crores of votes cast over multi-phase polling.
In West Bengal alone, all 294 Assembly seats are going to the count, with a fiercely contested field involving over 2,000 candidates and an electorate exceeding 7 crore voters, making it the largest and most politically charged battleground of the day.
Tamil Nadu (234 seats) and Kerala (140 seats) together add another 374 constituencies, with turnout traditionally high and contests often bipolar but intense.
Assam (126 seats) brings in a mix of triangular and regional fights across its districts.
Puducherry’s 30 seats, though smaller in scale, are closely watched due to tight margins and coalition stakes.
Approximately 824 Assembly seats across these five states/UT and by-elections (8 across states like Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, and Tripura) with polling aligned to the main phases will be counted on May 4
Taken together, the counting day will involve verification and tabulation of votes running into tens of millions, processed through thousands of EVMs and VVPAT slips under tight supervision, with each constituency typically seeing multiple candidates, often ranging from 5 to over 20, depending on the region.
It is a massive logistical exercise that demands accuracy putting the onus on ECI to focus on secure counting. This is a major electoral event covering a significant portion of India’s electorate. The sheer scale underscores why the ECI has moved to stricter, tech-enabled access control at counting centres this year.
