Election Commissioners' dissent highlights governance challenges in electoral processes

The Hindu - News · 27 Sept 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi flagged anomalies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, including unauthorized changes to Form 6 and restricted access to ERONet, raising concerns about electoral governance and institutional integrity.

Key points

Special Intensive Revision (SIR): The ongoing electoral roll revision process faced dissent from Election Commissioners over procedural anomalies, including unauthorized changes to statutory forms and restricted access to digital systems.

Form 6 alterations: The ECs flagged unauthorized changes to Form 6, which now asks if applicants or their ancestors 'exist' in previous rolls, violating the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, without proper amendments.

ERONet access issues: State-level officials reported incomplete access to the ERONet portal, with the ECs noting that the IT Director General lacks legal authority to restrict access granted to statutory authorities by law.

West Bengal appeals: Dr. Sandhu questioned the authorization for filing appeals against voters already included by judicial tribunals, with 38 lakh such appeals pending, potentially disenfranchising legitimate voters.

Goa voter exclusion: 97 voters deemed eligible by local Electoral Registration Officers were excluded from final rolls due to software limitations, despite eight requests for a rollback option from the CEO's office.

New appointment law: The dissent comes under the 2023 Law for Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, which changed the selection process and raised concerns about institutional independence.

[GS2-Governance] The ECs' dissent notes to the Cabinet Secretary highlight systemic governance challenges in maintaining electoral integrity and transparency in decision-making processes.

Legal framework: The Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991 (carried forward to 2023 Act) mandates unanimous decisions where possible, with majority votes resolving genuine differences.

Way Forward: The ECI should establish transparent protocols for electoral roll revisions, ensure strict adherence to statutory procedures for form changes, implement robust audit mechanisms for voter databases, and clarify the chain of command in electoral decision-making.

Key terms

ERONet

The digital system maintained by the Election Commission for electoral roll management. Its governance is crucial for UPSC as it involves questions of federalism (state access), data security, and electoral integrity under Article 324.

Registration of Electors Rules, 1960

The statutory framework governing voter registration in India. For UPSC, understanding these rules is essential as they form the legal basis for electoral roll maintenance and have been interpreted in multiple court cases.

Election Commission (Conditions of Service) Act, 1991

The law governing EC appointments and decision-making processes. Its 2023 amendment is particularly relevant for UPSC as it changed the selection committee composition, raising questions about institutional independence.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

A special process conducted by the Election Commission of India to intensively revise electoral rolls, typically undertaken before major elections. For UPSC, it's significant as it tests the robustness of electoral governance and can impact voter inclusion/exclusion patterns.