Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Election Commission Calls SIR Decisions Unanimous Despite Internal Objections
The Election Commission is checking and updating voter lists through a process called the SIR.
A report said two commissioners raised objections many times during this work.
The objections reportedly concerned deleting voter names and managing voter information.
The Commission said these were normal questions and suggestions during decision-making.
It insisted that all final decisions, including the SIR, were approved by all three commissioners.
Officials also said the system used for voter data has security checks and follows the law.
Opposition parties worry that the process could remove eligible voters and help the BJP and its allies.
P Chidambaram asked for the decisions to be reviewed and for the SIR to stop temporarily.
The Election Commission acknowledged internal objections but said all final decisions, including the nationwide SIR, were unanimous.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly raised concerns at least 14 times over 10 months.
The reported concerns involved voter-name deletions in various states and handling of the voter database.
The Commission said written notes and differing views are routine parts of deliberation, not evidence of institutional dissent.
Opposition parties, including P Chidambaram, called for reviewing recent decisions and immediately suspending the SIR process.
- Who
- The Election Commission of India, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, is at the center of the dispute; opposition parties and P Chidambaram also criticized the process.
- What
- The Commission said internal objections by Sandhu and Joshi did not amount to institutional dissent and maintained that all decisions, including the Special Intensive Revision, were unanimous.
- When
- The Commission issued its clarification on Wednesday; the reported objections allegedly occurred at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months.
- Where
- The issue concerns voter-roll revision across India, including voter-name deletions in various states and nationwide voter-database operations.
- Why
- The clarification responded to a report alleging that the two commissioners objected to decisions and orders issued without their knowledge.
Election Commission’s Position
Report and Opposition’s Concerns
Whether the objections constituted dissent
Election Commission’s Position
The Commission said individual opinions, written notes and operational questions are normal parts of deliberation, while all final decisions were unanimous.
Report and Opposition’s Concerns
The cited report said Sandhu and Joshi formally objected at least 14 times and claimed that some decisions and orders were issued without their knowledge.
Effect of the SIR
Election Commission’s Position
Officials described the SIR as a lawful, unanimously approved voter-roll exercise and said the Commission’s procedures protect voter rights.
Report and Opposition’s Concerns
Opposition parties alleged that the exercise could exclude voters, particularly those not aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies.
What should happen next
Election Commission’s Position
The Commission defended its unified national system and said it had received no complaints of central interference in the voter-data system.
Report and Opposition’s Concerns
P Chidambaram demanded a review of recent Commission decisions by a Parliamentary Committee and called for the SIR to be suspended nationwide.
- Process
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Commission’s position
- All final decisions, including the SIR, were unanimously approved by the three commissioners.
- Reported objections
- At least 14 objections over 10 months, including four on one day, according to the cited report.
- Issues raised
- Deletion of voter names in various states and handling of the voter database.
- Commission’s explanation
- Written notes, technical suggestions and internal checks are routine parts of deliberation.
- Opposition demand
- P Chidambaram called for a Parliamentary Committee review and immediate suspension of the SIR nationwide.
