The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday moved to blunt reports of dissent within, holding an all-member meeting and issuing a point-by-point clarification on allegations about its functioning. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi met at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon, the press release said. It reasserted that key decisions, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, were taken unanimously by the full commission. Attached was a photo of the three at a table, amid a row over a media report that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on several occasions to decisions and orders related to SIR.
Earlier reporting noted: Delhi SIR extended, no mandatory ERO hearing: EC takes key decisions amid calls for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation The Election Commission on Saturday announced its decision to extend the deadline of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll in Delhi. It also declared that those who have been sent a notice by the poll body over discrepancies will not have to appear for a hearing at the ERO office. The poll body addressed concerns over deletion of names from the voter list in Delhi.
The EC release also announced a set of decisions on the SIR and on the commission’s internal functioning, and laid out its position on a letter written to the Cabinet Secretary, reportedly by Sandhu and Joshi as per The Indian Express of September 23.
Earlier reporting noted: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar chaired the key meeting of the Election Commission amid demands for his resignation. Earlier reporting noted: Here are the key announcements made by the Election Commission:
It also announced a review of the ECINET by a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT. Opposition parties have cited the reported objections by Joshi and Sandhu to question the functioning of the Commission and have demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s ouster. On ECINET, concerns were raised over access to the electoral-roll database and the functioning of the portal. It noted that the Supreme Court had upheld the original SIR order. The controversy, however, has moved beyond questions of internal procedure. The dispute has also become closely linked to the wider political battle over SIR, with Opposition parties demanding greater transparency from the poll panel. The commission’s latest statement seeks to draw a distinction between internal deliberations and formal decisions, maintaining that its major decisions, including SIR, were taken collectively and unanimously.
The controversy spans objections raised by Joshi and Sandhu on issues such as changes to Form 6 used for new voter enrolment, the functioning of the online system ECINET, the redistribution of work in the IT division, appeals in the West Bengal SIR, and the handling of cases involving voters in Goa, for instance. On the Form 6 issue, questions were raised over a declaration attached to the form during the SIR process, asking prospective voters to map to the previous SIR via their parents’ names. It added that outside the SIR period, forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be used. On the SIR, it said the June 24, 2025, order launching the exercise across states and Union Territories was issued with the unanimous approval of the commission — an assertion made by EC sources on Friday too. The deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi under the SIR process was also extended to October 30, with the disposal target extended to November 30. In Maharashtra, the corresponding deadlines were extended to October 12 and November 10.
The commission’s note said the declaration was upheld by the Supreme Court. The commission said field officers have role-based access according to their statutory powers. The commission said any further flexibility required by field officers would be made operational too. Another issue concerned a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary over the redistribution of work “involving an officer on deputation to the EC”. The commission said the letter was not related to any policy matter of the EC or its IT division, but to the functioning of the officer. It said the work redistribution orders objected to were not implemented after directions from the two commissioners, and that oversight of the IT division by a Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn. The press note said subsequent schedules were also issued with unanimous approval.
It also decided that all new initiatives involving IT modules and portals would be discussed by the committee of officers before being placed before the commission for approval.
Goa Electoral Roll Update and Commission Reforms
The Election Commission has addressed the issue of 97 voters in Goa who were not included in the electoral rolls. In response, the Goa Chief Electoral Officer has instructed Booth Level Officers to conduct house-to-house visits to collect the necessary forms. Out of the 97 voters, 81 have already submitted Form 6 for inclusion.
Additionally, the commission announced new measures to enhance its internal operations. Moving forward, agendas for all commission meetings will be shared in advance, and minutes will be formally documented. The commission emphasized that directives given by commissioners to officials will be strictly followed.
