Archive · 27 Sep 2026
Congress Challenges EC’s Piecemeal SIR Measures, AI and ECINet
The Election Commission is checking and changing voter lists through a process called SIR.
It says some voters may be at risk of being removed and that others whose names were deleted can apply again.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says this is not enough because many people may already have lost their voting rights.
He also wants to know how the ECINet computer system makes decisions.
Ramesh is asking whether artificial intelligence was used to flag voters.
The Election Commission says its decisions were approved by all three commissioners.
It also says the Supreme Court supported changes involving Form 6, the form used to request addition to the voter list.
The disagreement is about whether the process is legal, transparent and fair.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called the Election Commission’s measures for voters affected by SIR “piecemeal” and inadequate.
The commission said Booth Level Officers would revisit 5.43 crore voters considered at risk, while nearly 14 crore deleted voters could seek re-enrolment.
Ramesh questioned whether ECINet could override Electoral Registration Officers and whether its software complies with electoral laws.
He demanded transparency over alleged artificial-intelligence use in electoral-roll revision, citing developments in Delhi and Bengal.
The Election Commission said all three commissioners unanimously approved SIR decisions and that Form 6 changes were upheld by the Supreme Court.
- Who
- Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh and the Election Commission of India, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
- What
- A dispute over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, voter deletions, ECINet, artificial intelligence and Form 6 procedures.
- When
- The comments were made on Sunday, a day after the Election Commission issued its statement; the reports also refer to developments in November 2025 and July 2026.
- Where
- The issue concerns electoral-roll revision in India, including Delhi, Bengal and Goa.
- Why
- Congress says the commission’s corrective steps do not adequately address voter deletions, legal safeguards, technology oversight or transparency.
Congress and Jairam Ramesh
Election Commission of India
Voter deletions and verification
Congress and Jairam Ramesh
Ramesh called the measures inadequate, arguing that house-to-house verification should have occurred during enumeration and that asking deleted voters to re-enrol amounts to large-scale disenfranchisement.
Election Commission of India
The commission said Booth Level Officers would revisit 5.43 crore voters at risk and that nearly 14 crore deleted voters could apply again to Electoral Registration Officers.
ECINet and legal authority
Congress and Jairam Ramesh
Ramesh questioned whether ECINet could override Electoral Registration Officers and whether its operation complied with the Representation of the People Act and related rules.
Election Commission of India
The commission formed a committee to certify that its software complies with the relevant Acts and Rules and said letters from two commissioners concerned an officer on deputation, not commission policy or the IT division.
Artificial intelligence and transparency
Congress and Jairam Ramesh
Ramesh cited system-generated notices in Delhi and an alleged Bengal admission about AI use, contrasting them with the commission’s statement that AI was not used at any stage of electoral-roll processing.
Election Commission of India
The commission’s stated position, as described by Ramesh, is that artificial intelligence was not used in electoral-roll processing.
Form 6 changes
Congress and Jairam Ramesh
Ramesh argued that an online change to Form 6 applied broadly, questioned the non-SIR route and said the process lacked a rational basis and transparency.
Election Commission of India
The commission said Form 6 updates had been upheld by the Supreme Court and referred to a May 27, 2026, judgment permitting a new declaration.
- Process
- Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls
- Voters at risk
- 5.43 crore, according to the Election Commission
- Deleted voters
- Nearly 14 crore voters were reported as deleted across three SIR phases
- Proposed remedy
- Booth Level Officers will revisit voters considered at risk; deleted voters may apply to Electoral Registration Officers
- Technology issue
- Congress questioned ECINet’s role and the commission’s committee reviewing software compliance
- AI issue
- Ramesh questioned the commission’s position that artificial intelligence was not used in electoral-roll processing
- Form 6
- The form is used by voters seeking inclusion in electoral rolls
- Commission position
- The Election Commission said all three commissioners unanimously approved SIR decisions