Gyanesh Kumar, ECs meet amid SIR dissent row, issue point-by-point clarification

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi met at the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday amid questions over the functioning of the poll panel and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Commission met at 3 pm and subsequently issued a detailed press note outlining a series of decisions on the SIR process, ECINet, Form 6, claims and objections, as well as recent questions surrounding an internal communication to the Cabinet Secretary.

On the controversy surrounding the Cabinet Secretary letter, the EC said it was “not related to any policy matter of the Commission or IT division”, but concerned the “working of an officer on deputation to EC.”

The Commission added that work redistribution orders issued by the officer “were not actually implemented” after orders from two Commissioners and that “the oversight over the IT division by the DEC was never actually withdrawn.”

The clarification comes against the backdrop of questions over the functioning of the Commission and the role of its IT division, with the EC using Saturday’s meeting to put its position on record.

The Commission also addressed the question of whether there had been disagreement within the poll panel over SIR. It said the SIR order issued on June 24, 2025, covering all states and Union Territories, beginning with Bihar and followed by West Bengal and 30 other states and UTs, was issued with the “unanimous approval of the Commission.”

It added that the Supreme Court upheld the order on May 27, 2026.

The schedules subsequently issued for 12 states and UTs in October 2025 and 19 states and UTs in May 2026 were also issued with the “unanimous approval of the Commission,” the EC said.

WHAT HAPPENS TO VOTERS FLAGGED DURING SIR

For voters who have received notices for being “unmapped” or having logical discrepancies, the Commission has changed the process for verification.

Booth Level Officers will now visit the homes of such voters to collect documents and upload them on ECINet for a decision by the Electoral Registration Officer. Such voters “need not be called for hearing to ERO/AERO office.” Hearings will take place only in exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, and will preferably be held online. An adult family member can also be authorised by the elector to attend the hearing on their behalf, if necessary.

The EC has also asked District Election Officers to create adequate help desks and hold special camps for people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people and homeless citizens.

EC CLARIFIES FORM 6 POSITION

The Commission also specifically addressed the Form 6 issue.

The note said, “The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.” For periods when SIR is not underway, the forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, will be used.

The EC said SIR has already been completed in 20 states and UTs, including Bihar and West Bengal. People whose names were left out during SIR or subsequently, as well as young and first-time voters, can apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion through continuous updation. CEOs, DEOs and EROs have been directed to launch a special enrolment drive.

The Commission also pointed to the experience in Goa, where BLOs have been directed to visit voters left out of the rolls and collect their forms. Of 97 such voters, 81 had already filled Form 6 for inclusion, the EC said.

EC SETS UP PANEL TO REVIEW ECINET

On its digital electoral management system, the EC said field officers have “role-based access to the ECINET system as per their statutory powers.”

A committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT will review ECINet to “double-check” that it complies with the provisions of the relevant Acts and Rules. The Commission said several upgrades had already been made following inputs from state Chief Electoral Officers.

Going forward, the EC said all new initiatives involving IT modules and portals will be discussed by the Committee of Officers before being approved by the Commission.

SIR DEADLINES EXTENDED IN DELHI, MAHARASHTRA

The Commission has also extended the deadline for claims and objections in Delhi following a request from the Chief Electoral Officer.

In Delhi, claims and objections can now be filed until October 30, while disposal of notices and claims and objections has been extended until November 30.

In Maharashtra, the filing deadline has been extended until October 12, while disposal has been extended until November 10.

The Commission also decided that agendas for all its meetings will be circulated in advance and minutes will be issued. It said officers’ APARs will be completed by December 31 every year, foreign trips will require Commission approval, and directions issued by Commissioners to officers will be complied with.

The controversy has now expanded beyond the Commission’s internal procedures, with Opposition parties demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal over the dissent reports. The row has also fed into the broader political dispute over the SIR exercise, with Opposition parties seeking greater transparency from the poll panel.