Election Commission Clarifies SIR Decisions Were Unanimous Amid Opposition Criticism

The Election Commission of India has clarified that all decisions taken by the poll panel, including those related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were approved unanimously by the three-member commission. The clarification came after reports of objections by two Election Commissioners triggered a political controversy.

According to reports published on September 23, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were said to have raised objections on several occasions over decisions taken in the commission's name. The reports said the concerns involved issues including changes to Form 6, centralisation of ERONet controls, voter-deletion appeals in West Bengal and the handling of voter enrolment in Goa.

What the Election Commission said

EC sources said individual views or observations expressed by Election Commissioners do not amount to a formal decision of the Commission. They maintained that decisions of the three-member poll panel, including the SIR exercise, were taken with the approval of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi.

Opposition reactions

Opposition parties have criticised the reported disagreements and questioned the manner in which some electoral decisions were taken. Several opposition leaders have called for greater transparency and accountability from the Election Commission, while some have sought action against the Chief Election Commissioner.

The reported controversy comes against the backdrop of the nationwide SIR exercise and earlier disputes over voter-roll revisions, including the deletion and restoration of voter names in West Bengal. The Election Commission has maintained that the revision process is being carried out under the applicable legal and judicial framework.

Why the issue matters

The controversy centres on the distinction between individual observations recorded during internal discussions and formal decisions of the Commission. The Election Commission's clarification and the reported objections are now part of the wider public debate over how electoral-roll revisions and related administrative decisions are handled.