Election Commission of India Says Nationwide SIR Decision Had Unanimous Approval of All 3 Commissioners

Election Commission of India Says Nationwide SIR Decision Had Unanimous Approval of All 3 Commissioners

NEW DELHI, September 26, 2026 [VoM News]: The Election Commission of India today clarified that its decision to undertake nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was unanimously taken by all three Election Commissioners, as the poll body has reacted to media reports on internal differences over various issues related to the revision process.

Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners on Saturday afternoon at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi had a full Commission meeting with the Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

The Elections Commission in a statement later said that the announcements made following the meeting were with the approval of the full panel.

The EC clarified that its order dated June 24, 2025 directing SIR in all states and UTs, starting with Bihar, had been issued unanimously by the Commission. EC further stated that the subsequent SIR programmes of different states and UTs, have also been unanimously approved.

The Commission also referenced a Supreme Court order dated 27 May 2026, at its statement that the SIR framework had been upheld by the court. It added that Form 6 declaration for fresh voter enrolment in SIR was also granted judicial nod.

This clarification comes following an investigation by The Indian Express that Sandhu and Joshi had, at least 14 times between November 2025 and August 2026, formally recorded their objections to decisions or communication “regarding electoral matters” “without consulting” them. Some of the matters in question were Form 6, additions and deletions to electoral rolls, and access to the electoral-roll database.

The Election Commission also responded to an objection raised by the CM Joshi-Sandhu report. The letter sent by Joshi and Sandhu to the Secretary General was not relating to any policy matter or the functioning of the IT division of the EC. It was to do with the functioning of an officer on deputation to the poll body.

The Commission also said that it would hold meetings with agendas sent beforehand, produce minutes of meetings and respect directions issued by Commissioners to EC officials.

It will also have a committee led by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner to scrutinize the ECINet platform with an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT.

The clarification from the EC set off political reactions. Leaders of the BJP used the statement to dismiss Opposition charges that the Commission was losing its grip on decision making, but Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera suggested that the statement failed to address the main issues raised by the objections as reported. Sandhu and Joshi have not yet spoken out individually.