India’s Election Commission (ECI) is facing renewed scrutiny following reports of internal disagreements over electoral-roll management and the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
An Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months concerning voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, and control of electoral-roll systems.
Among the issues raised were changes to Form 6 for new voters. The newspaper reported that both commissioners had questioned whether such changes could legally be implemented without amendments to existing electoral rules.
Concerns were also reportedly raised about increasing centralisation of electoral-roll technology and whether Electoral Registration Officers retained adequate control over voter databases.
The controversy comes amid the SIR exercise, through which more than 13 crore names have reportedly been removed from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union Territories. The ECI says revisions are intended to remove ineligible, deceased, shifted or duplicate voters.
Opposition parties have used the disclosures to intensify criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The BJP has rejected allegations that the electoral process is being manipulated and defended its legality.
The ECI, meanwhile, says differing views are part of institutional deliberations and that decisions are ultimately taken unanimously or according to established procedures. The dispute has nevertheless placed renewed attention on transparency, internal oversight and public confidence in India’s electoral administration.
