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ECI’s ENCORE: Streamlining Candidate and Election Management 

Why in the news?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has developed in-house software named ‘ENCORE,’ which stands for ‘Enabling Communications on Real-time Environment,’ for comprehensive candidate and election management.

• Purpose: ENCORE offers a seamless platform for Returning Officers to handle various aspects of the electoral process, including candidate nomination, affidavit submission, voter turnout tracking, counting, results management, and data administration.
• ENCORE Counting Application: This application streamlines the vote counting process, allowing Returning Officers to digitize polled votes, tabulate round-wise data, and generate statutory reports related to counting.
• ENCORE Scrutiny Application: This application enables Returning Officers to scrutinize candidate nominations online. After verification, nominations are marked as Accepted, Rejected, or Withdrawn, helping in the preparation of the final list of contesting candidates and symbol assignment.
• Online Nomination and Affidavit Portal: The ECI has established an online portal for candidates to submit nominations and affidavits. Candidates can create accounts, fill out nomination forms, deposit security, and plan their visits to the Returning Officer. This optional feature simplifies the filing process.
• Candidate Affidavit Portal: This application displays information regarding a candidate’s financial assets and liabilities, enhancing transparency in the election process.
• ENCORE Nodal App: Various government departments, such as fire, education, police, environment, and CPWD, employ this app to provide ‘no objection’ certificates before granting permission for political parties or candidates to hold rallies, roadshows, and meetings. This ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.