The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reiterated that all significant decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across states and Union Territories were unanimously approved by its three members. The Commission's statement comes in response to recent reports of internal disagreements and a letter reportedly sent by two Election Commissioners to the Cabinet Secretary.
Unanimous Approval for Electoral Roll Revisions
According to the ECI, the SIR order, initially issued on June 24, 2025, encompassed all States and Union Territories, commencing with Bihar and subsequently extending to West Bengal and 30 other regions. The Commission emphasized that this comprehensive order received the unanimous backing of all its members. Furthermore, the ECI highlighted that the Supreme Court upheld the SIR exercise in its order dated May 27, 2026.
Subsequent schedules for the SIR exercise, covering 31 States and Union Territories, also secured unanimous approval. This included schedules for 12 States/UTs issued on October 27, 2025, and for another 19 States/UTs on May 14, 2026. The final count of electors will be determined only after the publication of electoral rolls in the remaining 12 States under Phase III.
Clarification on Cabinet Secretary Letter and Internal Processes
The ECI separately clarified that a letter from two Election Commissioners to the Cabinet Secretary was not related to any policy matter or the Commission's IT division. Instead, the letter pertained to the conduct of an officer on deputation to the Commission. The ECI stated that work-reallocation orders issued by this officer were not implemented following directives from the two Commissioners. The Commission also affirmed that the oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn.
Amid the controversy surrounding internal decision-making and administrative orders, the ECI announced changes to its future meeting protocols. For all upcoming meetings, the agenda will be circulated in advance, and official minutes will be issued. Additionally, the Commission assured that directions issued by Election Commissioners to its officers would be complied with.
SIR Deadlines Extended in Delhi and Maharashtra
In a separate development, the Election Commission extended the deadlines for the ongoing SIR exercise in Delhi and Maharashtra. In Delhi, the deadline for filing claims and objections has been pushed to October 30, with the disposal of these claims and objections rescheduled to November 30. For Maharashtra, the filing deadline was extended to October 12, and the disposal deadline to November 10.
The ECI also clarified that voters receiving notices during the SIR process generally do not need to appear for personal hearings, except in exceptional circumstances.