The Election Commission of India (ECI) has firmly denied a recent media report claiming internal dissent among its commissioners concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Officials on Wednesday stated that all decisions related to the nationwide exercise, including the SIR, were made unanimously.
The media report suggested that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had repeatedly raised concerns over a 10-month period, flagging issues related to the deletion of names in various states and the management of the voter database. It alleged that some decisions were taken and orders issued without their knowledge, with objections formally recorded at least 14 times.
However, sources within the Election Commission maintained that every decision, including those pertaining to the SIR, received the approval of both Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They emphasized that while individual opinions are natural, they do not constitute institutional decisions of the Commission.
Consensus Governs Commission's Functioning
The ECI sources further clarified that the Commission's operations are guided by established law and supported by a Supreme Court judgment. This framework dictates that decisions should, whenever possible, be reached unanimously, with the majority view prevailing if consensus cannot be achieved. Officials stressed that despite differing individual perspectives, coordination and consensus-building ensure progress.
Addressing allegations of external interference in the system, the Commission stated that a single, unified system is in place for the entire country, into which all Electoral Officers feed data. They reported no complaints of interference, even with officials holding diverse ideological leanings.
Opposition Criticizes SIR Process
The report of internal dissent has fueled further criticism from opposition parties, who have targeted the Election Commission over the SIR. These parties allege that the electoral roll revision exercise is designed to target electors not aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies. The controversy has prompted calls from opposition factions for intervention by the Supreme Court.
The ongoing developments have brought the SIR process back into sharp focus, with the ECI steadfastly insisting on the unanimity of its decisions, even as the media report highlighted repeated objections from two of its Election Commissioners regarding voter roll cleanup, name deletions, and voter database handling.