Wed Sep 24 16:33:55 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text:
**Headline: ECI Bolsters Voter Registration Security with Aadhaar-Linked E-Sign Feature**
**New Delhi, September 24, 2025:** The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a new e-signature feature on its ECINET portal and app, requiring Aadhaar-linked phone number verification for voter registration, deletion, and correction applications. This security upgrade, rolled out in the second week of September, aims to combat fraudulent voter list manipulation.
The ECINET platform, which consolidates over 40 of the ECI’s existing web and mobile applications, now requires applicants to verify their identity through an Aadhaar OTP process hosted by CDAC. This measure introduces a crucial layer of authentication that was previously lacking. The initiative is in response to recent instances of voter list tampering, most notably the deletion of nearly 6,000 voter names in the Aland constituency of Karnataka ahead of the 2023 Assembly election.
ECINET was first introduced during the June by-elections. Beyond security enhancements, the ECINET platform has already proven effective in streamlining election-related processes, including faster uploading of voter turnout data and quicker publication of election results. Presiding officers now directly upload final turnout figures via ECINET, ensuring faster availability of data to the public.
The ECI hopes this new Aadhaar-linked e-sign feature will significantly enhance the integrity of the electoral process and safeguard against future manipulation of voter rolls.
First Piper 