Pushpinder Kaur

Additional Director General

[Media & Communications]  

Government of India

(Election Commission of India)

Government of India

Press Information Bureau

Shastri Bhawan

New Delhi

                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                          Dated:  19th March, 2026

CIRCULAR

 

 Sub: On-line System for submission of Application for issuance of ECI’s “Authority  Letter” to Media persons for coverage of General Election to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry and Schedule Bye-election to eight (8) Assembly Constituencies of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura- reg.

 

Sir/Madam,

            Applications are invited from interested Media persons for ECI’s “Authority Letter” for coverage of Polling and Counting during General Election to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry and Schedule Bye-election to eight (8) Assembly Constituencies of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura. The polling will be held on 9th, 23rd, & 29th April, 2026 and the counting of votes will take place on 4th, May, 2026 (Monday).

 

  1. FOR DELHI BASED PIB ACCREDITED and Non-PIB Accredited Journalists, CORRESPONDENTS & CAMERAPERSONS

 Delhi-based correspondents/camerapersons are requested to fill up their form online by following steps:

 Please visit website- https://accreditation.pib.gov.in/election/login.aspx

  1. Log on by user ID and password you have created for PIB accreditation.
  2. In case you forget your password or user ID then click the link given below the login box to recover these. 
  3. Application form with your full particulars will appear with your photo.
  4. Select the “State” for which Authority letter is required for polling or counting or both
  5. See the preview of your form.  If it is not ok, make correction.
  6. Click Submit Tab to finally submit the form.
  7. A declaration form will appear, check “I Agree” Box and then press “Submit” Button
  8. Finally, take a Print out of the Application form submitted on-line and after duly signing and getting endorsed from Editor/ Chief of Bureau submit the Application Form along with Three passport size Photographs, to the undersigned in the Room No. 109, Shastri Bhawan, Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi.

 

The Authority Letters to Delhi based non-accredited media persons will be issued only after obtaining necessary security clearance.  In view of this, the non-accredited journalists in this category may submit their applications online and deposit their online filed application forms immediately so that necessary security clearance is obtained well in time.

 

b. For Foreign National Journalists based in New Delhi/NCR – J visa Holders (Accredited or Non-Accredited by PIB)

  1. Please visit website- https://accreditation.pib.gov.in/election/login.aspx
  2. If you have not registered yourself in PIB Accreditation System before then Select Link for given New User to Create User ID and Password else log on by User ID and password you have.
  3. In “Create New User option” a Registration Form will appear, fill this form to create User ID and password.
  4. Log on by user ID and password you have created for yourself.
  5. General information form will appear, fill the form and press Save & Next button. In this form select city option is mandatory for all Non-PIB Accredited applicants.
  6. Address form will appear, fill the form and press Save & Next button. In this form 
  7. Select “State” for which Authority letter are required for polling or counting or for both.
  8. See the preview of your form if it is not ok make correction. 
  9. Click Submit Tab to finally submit the form.
  10. A declaration form will appear, check “I Agree” Box and then press “Submit” Button.
  11. The filling of the form need not be at one go. The save feature shall ensure that partially filled form is saved and may be edited later. But once you will press Submit button the form will be locked and it cannot be edited.
  12. Finally, take a Print out of the Application form submitted on-line and after duly signing and getting endorsed from Editor/ Chief of Bureau submit the Application Form and route their Printed on-line application to the undersigned through Publicity Division of MEA along with Three passport size photographs, a photo copy of Passport and relevant pages of J-Visa showing its validity date etc.
  13. For Non-Accredited Foreign Journalist (Indian) based in Delhi/NCR, police verification is done before issuing the Authority Letters.

 

All application forms duly signed and endorsed by the Editor/ Chief of Bureau should reach the undersigned latest by 5.00 p.m on working days till 27.03.2026.

 

Important: (i) It is clarified to all concerned that authority letter to enter a “Counting Centre” is not an authority to enter a “Counting Hall”. Access to Counting Hall will be governed by instructions issued Vide Commission’s letter No. 491/CNTG/MCS/99 dated 21.09.1999.

                    (ii) For Restricted Areas for foreign national media persons, Authority Slips have to be accompanied by MHA Clearance. Mere possession of Authority letters from ECI doesn’t permit them to cover the elections in restricted areas. 

 

 Yours sincerely,

  (Pushpinder Kaur)

 

  1. All Editors/Chiefs of Bureau of both print and electronic media & News Agencies
  2. All Accredited Correspondents/Camerapersons
  3. DG (News) Doordarshan/All India Radio
  4. JS, XP Division, MEA
  5. Director, Photo Division, Soochna Bhavan, New Delhi