1 hr ago
Election Commission Says SIR Decisions Were Unanimous Despite Objections
A newspaper reported that two election commissioners had objected many times to decisions about updating voter lists.
Officials from the Election Commission did not deny that the objections happened.
However, they said the final decisions were approved by all three commissioners.
The officials said election rules allow decisions to be made by consensus or, if necessary, by majority vote.
Opposition politicians said the report showed a serious problem inside the Election Commission.
Some called for Parliament or the Supreme Court to examine the matter.
The disagreement is about how decisions were made during the voter-list revision.
The political debate is expected to continue.
Unnamed Election Commission officials acknowledged that Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised issues related to the Special Intensive Revision.
The officials did not deny reports that the two commissioners recorded at least 14 objections over 10 months.
They said all decisions concerning the SIR were ultimately approved by both commissioners and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Opposition leaders demanded scrutiny, with Derek O’Brien renewing a call for a motion to remove Gyanesh Kumar.
Akhilesh Yadav, Kapil Sibal and Sanjay Raut separately criticised the Commission and alleged risks to democratic processes.
- Who
- Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, unnamed Election Commission officials and opposition leaders.
- What
- A report about repeated objections within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision was followed by an official assertion that final decisions were unanimous.
- Where
- India, within the Election Commission of India and Parliament’s political debate.
- When
- The objections were reportedly recorded at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months; The Indian Express report was published on September 23.
- Why
- The dispute concerns decisions, orders, voter-name deletions and data handling during the nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Opposition and Reported Concerns
Election Commission Position
Whether the objections indicate an institutional rift
Opposition and Reported Concerns
The Indian Express report and opposition leaders point to at least 14 recorded objections as evidence of serious disagreement and concerns about how the Commission operated.
Election Commission Position
Unnamed Commission officials said the objections did not alter the final outcome because all SIR-related decisions were ultimately approved by all three commissioners.
How decisions and orders were handled
Opposition and Reported Concerns
The report said Sandhu and Joshi objected to decisions and orders allegedly issued without their knowledge, including matters involving voter-name deletions and data handling.
Election Commission Position
Officials maintained that the final decisions had the approval of Sandhu, Joshi and Gyanesh Kumar, and did not describe the report as false.
Need for further action
Opposition and Reported Concerns
Opposition politicians sought measures including a motion to remove Gyanesh Kumar, Supreme Court scrutiny and legal or administrative action.
Election Commission Position
The Commission-related sources presented the process as consistent with the governing law and a Supreme Court judgment on unanimity and majority decision-making.
Key facts
- Issue
- Reported internal objections over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Reported objections
- At least 14 objections over a 10-month period
- Commissioners named
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Election Commission position
- All final SIR-related decisions were approved unanimously
- Opposition response
- Leaders called for parliamentary or judicial scrutiny and criticised the Commission
- Decision rule cited
- Officials said decisions should be unanimous where possible, with majority decisions permitted if unanimity cannot be reached
Quotes
Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief
“It seems some people in this country still have a conscience... look at the kind of irregularities taking place in the Election Commission. There used to be a single member; now, there are three. It has been established that the majority was not with Gyanesh Kumar. He used to act arbitrarily; Mr Joshi and Mr Sandhu questioned his working methods on 14 occasions”
deccanchronicle.com
“Five months ago, 60+ Rajya Sabha MPs (50 needed) wrote to Chairman RS moving Motion to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar. After the big news break today that two Election Commissioners objected to many of CEC's actions, it's time to bring out the RS Motion today. Impeach CEC to save democracy”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
Related news
Dissent Deepens Inside Election Commission Over SIR Decisions
Opposition demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal over EC objections
Opposition Challenges Election Commission Over Reported Internal Rift
Congress Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal Over Electoral Roll Dispute
