📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Chongkian
Technology
Audit reveals West Bengal‑specific access restrictions in ECINET code
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 20 Oct 2026, 08:01 AM
👁 13
An audit of the Election Commission's ECINET system uncovered access limitations that apply only to West Bengal, raising concerns over regional bias in the network's code.
An internal audit of the Election Commission of India's ECINET platform has identified code-level restrictions that are applied exclusively to West Bengal. The review found that certain functionalities within the system are blocked for users operating from the state, while they remain accessible elsewhere.
The audit report highlights that these Bengal‑specific curbs are embedded in the software, limiting access to particular modules and data streams. Such selective restrictions are not present in other states, suggesting an uneven implementation of the ECINET infrastructure.
Experts warn that the disparity could affect the uniformity of election‑related processes, potentially compromising the principle of equal access for all regional election bodies. The findings have prompted calls for a thorough review and remediation to ensure the system operates without bias.
The Election Commission has been notified of the audit results and is expected to address the issue promptly, though no official response has been released at the time of reporting.
The audit report highlights that these Bengal‑specific curbs are embedded in the software, limiting access to particular modules and data streams. Such selective restrictions are not present in other states, suggesting an uneven implementation of the ECINET infrastructure.
Experts warn that the disparity could affect the uniformity of election‑related processes, potentially compromising the principle of equal access for all regional election bodies. The findings have prompted calls for a thorough review and remediation to ensure the system operates without bias.
The Election Commission has been notified of the audit results and is expected to address the issue promptly, though no official response has been released at the time of reporting.