The digital transformation of governance represents a paradigm shift in how governments interact with citizens, businesses, and institutions. While information and communication technology (ICT) provides the structural foundation for e-government reforms, the success of these initiatives depends equally on the human and emotional capacities of leaders. This article examines the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) and digital leadership (DL) in facilitating ICT-assisted governance transformation with a focus on India. The article examines a review of 50 responders in Tamil Nadu to investigate how leaders’ EI, which contains the capability to manage emotions, empathy, and cooperation, works together with their digital skills to develop citizen-driven governance. Generally, the results recommend that leaders with superior EI are more efficient at working with teams to overcome resistance to utilizing modern technologies, enhance confidence in digital technology, and motivate teams to execute new processes. DL assists the connection between technological change and human acceptance and differences in ICT application across teams, with the purpose of ICT developing beyond a simple efficiency device, but instead becomes a mechanism for inclusion, improved transparency, and responsiveness. EI combined with DL will make resilient government departments that are not only able to respond to, but also report the challenges produced by rapid digitalisation. The study contributes to the emerging literature with its analysis of the connection between EI and ICT in local government and implications for effectual leadership growth in e-government.