ECI says decisions unanimous after report flags Commissioners' objections

Poll panel says internal notes and differing views are part of routine deliberations, while final decisions, including electoral roll revision measures, were unanimous

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday said its internal notes, observations and differing views were part of its standard decision-making process and that its final decisions over the past year had been unanimous, after an investigation by The Indian Express claimed that two Election Commissioners had repeatedly objected to key steps concerning electoral rolls.

 

In a press note, the ECI said, “Any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights. The suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes."

 

It added that all official orders, decisions and administrative directions carried legal sanction and followed established statutory procedures under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.

 

 

Differing views part of deliberations: ECI

 

The ECI said differing views and observations were a normal part of deliberations before a final decision was taken.

 

“Not only the three Commissioners, but every officer of the Commission is fully authorized to give his suggestions to the Commission for improving the electoral system,” it said.

 

The statement came after The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months to decisions and orders related to voter registration, deletion and restoration of names and the management of electoral-roll systems.

 

According to the report, the two commissioners had also questioned changes made to Form 6, used for enrolment of new voters. Joshi had reportedly recorded that the statutory form could not be altered without amendments to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, while Sandhu subsequently described the change as “unauthorised and illegal”.

 

The report also claimed the commissioners had raised concerns over what they described as the increasing centralisation of access to electoral-roll databases and restrictions on the powers of Electoral Registration Officers. 

 

Decisions over past year unanimous

 

Responding to reports highlighting specific internal observations, the ECI said focusing on notes spread over a 10-month period while overlooking the larger body of approvals, decisions and initiatives presented only “one part of the picture”.

 

The ECI said it had taken numerous decisions, issued instructions, introduced around 40 initiatives and undertaken electoral reforms, including electoral roll revision and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across the country.

 

“All these decisions are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full Commission in the past one year,” the ECI said.

 

It added that it had recently conducted elections in Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal, along with election-related exercises that required a range of administrative and operational approvals. 

 

ECI defends security of digital platforms

 

The ECI also defended the security framework governing its digital platforms, including ECINet.

 

It said the platforms operated under strict data-security protocols aimed at preventing unauthorised tampering or manipulation, while IT security checks and audit controls were standard cybersecurity measures used across national databases.

 

The ECI said Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers continued to exercise their statutory powers over voter registration and deletion under the law.