New Delhi, September 27, 2026: The Election Commission of India has come under renewed public attention over the functioning of the poll panel during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, following a detailed investigation by journalist Ritika Chopra into alleged differences among the three-member Commission.
The issue gained prominence after reports said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several decisions and orders concerning electoral rolls, voter registration and the Commission’s technology systems.
According to the investigation published by The Indian Express, the two Election Commissioners formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over a period of 10 months. The reported concerns covered matters including addition of new voters, deletion and restoration of names, access to electoral-roll databases and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for registration of new voters.
Questions Over Form 6 and SIR-Related Procedures
One of the issues highlighted in the reporting concerns changes introduced in Form 6 through the Election Commission’s online system.
The reported changes included questions connected with the previous SIR exercise and the electoral-roll status of an applicant’s parents or grandparents. The investigation said that objections were raised over the manner in which these changes were introduced and whether the prescribed procedure required further governmental action.
The wider investigation also examined the functioning of ECINet, the Commission’s centralised technology platform, and the extent of access and control over electoral-roll data. The report cited instances where questions were raised about the role of the centralised system in decisions taken by field-level election officials.
Reported Objections Extended Beyond SIR
The reported disagreements were not limited exclusively to the SIR exercise. The investigation referred to concerns involving voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, electoral data and administrative decisions within the poll panel.
The reporting has consequently triggered a broader discussion about the internal decision-making process of the three-member Election Commission and the respective roles of the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners.
Election Commission Rejects Claims of Unilateral Decision-Making
The Election Commission has, however, presented a different account of the matter.
The poll body said that operational queries, suggestions and inputs raised during the process were part of the normal decision-making procedure and related to the draft stage. It maintained that decisions taken by the Commission, including those concerning SIR, were unanimous decisions of the full Commission.
The issue received further attention after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, held a full Commission meeting in New Delhi on September 26. The meeting came amid the continuing public discussion over the reported objections and the functioning of the Commission.
Why SIR Has Become a Major Electoral Issue
The Special Intensive Revision is directly linked to the preparation and updating of electoral rolls. Questions surrounding eligibility, documentation, voter registration, deletion of names and the procedures used to verify electoral records have therefore attracted considerable public and political attention.
The reported internal objections have added another dimension to the debate. While the investigation by Ritika Chopra has highlighted documents and instances of objections by two Election Commissioners, the Election Commission has maintained that its major decisions were taken collectively and unanimously.
Ritika Chopra’s reporting and subsequent video discussions have examined these developments, including the reported objections, the functioning of the Commission and the issues surrounding SIR and electoral-roll management.
(SDNA)