Full Commission meeting addresses concerns over SIR, Form 6, ECINET and voter enrolment amid reports of differences among poll commissioners
New Delhi, Sept 2026 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday sought to address reports of differences within the poll panel, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi holding a full Commission meeting at Nirvachan Sadan.
The meeting came days after a report by The Indian Express said Sandhu and Joshi had formally raised objections on several decisions and administrative directions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The report triggered a political controversy, with Opposition parties questioning the functioning of the poll panel.
In a detailed statement issued after Saturday’s meeting, the ECI said the June 24, 2025 order launching the SIR exercise was approved unanimously by all three commissioners. It also maintained that subsequent schedules relating to the revision were issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission.
The Commission further said the Supreme Court had upheld the original SIR order, rejecting the suggestion that the exercise was the result of an individual decision by the Chief Election Commissioner.
The ECI also addressed concerns surrounding Form 6, which is used by citizens to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls. During the SIR exercise, an additional declaration relating to applicants’ linkage with previous electoral rolls was introduced. Reports had cited objections from Sandhu and Joshi over the change.
The Commission said the declaration applicable during the SIR process had been upheld by the Supreme Court. It clarified, however, that outside the SIR exercise, the Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would continue to be used.
On the issue of 97 voters in Goa whose names had initially been left out of the electoral rolls, the ECI said the state’s Chief Electoral Officer had directed Booth Level Officers to conduct house-to-house visits and collect the required forms. Of the 97 voters, 81 had already submitted Form 6 seeking inclusion.
The Commission also announced a review of ECINET, its technology platform used for electoral-roll related processes. It said field officials receive role-based access according to their statutory responsibilities. A committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, with an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT, will review the platform.
The ECI also clarified that a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary concerning an officer on deputation related to work allocation and the officer’s functioning, rather than any policy concerning the Commission or its IT division.
As part of efforts to strengthen internal procedures, the Commission said agendas for meetings would be circulated in advance and minutes issued subsequently. It also said directions issued by commissioners to officials would be followed meticulously.
The ECI further extended SIR-related deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra and reiterated that major decisions concerning the exercise had been taken collectively and unanimously.
The Commission’s statement came against the backdrop of continuing scrutiny over the SIR process and its internal functioning. The reported objections by two commissioners remain a matter of public debate, while the ECI has maintained that the Commission continues to function collectively under the applicable legal and constitutional framework.
