The Election Commission on Saturday (September 26) announced a review of its electoral-roll software and eased hearing requirements under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), following The Indian Express investigations into objections raised by two Election Commissioners. The meeting was held at 3 pm at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi present.
The Commission said in a press note that the SIR order and rollout schedules had unanimous approval. It also extended the deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi and Maharashtra.
The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had recorded at least 14 objections over ten months, including to decisions taken without their knowledge on voter registration, deletions and access to electoral-roll systems.
No mandatory hearings, special camps
Under the new arrangement, people who have received notices during the ongoing SIR for being unmapped or for logical discrepancies will not ordinarily have to appear before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO). The Commission said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit the homes of such people to collect documents and upload them on ECINET for a decision by the ERO.
A hearing will be held only in exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, and will preferably be conducted online. The Commission has also allowed an adult member of the family to attend the hearing on behalf of an elector if authorised by the elector. It said facilities for online hearings will be strengthened.
District Election Officers have been directed to create adequate help desks and hold special camps, depending on requirements, for people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people, homeless persons and others who may require assistance during the electoral-roll exercise.
Delhi, Maharashtra get more time
The Commission has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi until October 30, 2026, following a request from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer. The deadline for disposal of notices and claims and objections in Delhi has also been extended until November 30, 2026.
In Maharashtra, the deadline for filing claims and objections has been extended until October 12, 2026, while the deadline for disposal of notices and claims and objections has been extended until November 10, 2026.
ECINET to undergo ECI-led review
The Commission said field officers have role-based access to the ECINET system according to their statutory powers. It has decided to constitute a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT to review ECINET and “double-check” whether it complies with the provisions of the relevant Acts and Rules.
The committee will submit its report to the Commission. The press note did not specify a deadline for the review or whether its findings would be made public. The Indian Express had reported that the two Commissioners raised concerns about centralised software controls restricting field officers’ statutory functions and sought scrutiny of the system.
The ECI said several upgrades to the portal had already been made based on inputs received from State Chief Electoral Officers over the past few months. It added that any further flexibility required by field officers would be made operational. Going forward, all new initiatives involving IT modules and portals will be discussed by the Committee of Officers before being placed before the Commission for approval, the press note stated.
ECI reiterates SIR order, schedules had unanimous approval
The Commission also reiterated its position on the SIR process following The Indian Express reports. It said the SIR order issued on June 24, 2025 for all States and Union Territories, beginning with Bihar and followed by West Bengal and 30 other States and UTs, was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission.
The Commission said the Supreme Court upheld the SIR order in its May 27, 2026 judgment. It further said the SIR schedules for 12 States and UTs issued on October 27, 2025, and for another 19 States and UTs issued on May 14, 2026, were also approved unanimously by the Commission.
The press note did not explain how the reported internal objections had been resolved or address who authorised appeals against decisions including voters in West Bengal; an issue raised by Sandhu, according to The Indian Express.
On Form 6, the Commission said the declaration attached for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court, while forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would apply outside SIR. The Indian Express had reported that an SIR-linked question was introduced in the online form despite the Commissioners’ objections. The ECI did not identify who authorised that change.
The ECI said SIR has already been completed in 20 States and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. The final number of electors will be known only after the final publication of electoral rolls in the remaining 12 States covered under Phase III, it said.
Names left out can still be added
The Commission said anyone whose name was left out during or after SIR can apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion through the process of continuous updation. This facility is also available to young and first-time voters.
Chief Electoral Officers have been directed to facilitate such applications, while CEOs, DEOs and EROs have been asked to immediately launch a special drive for enrolment of these electors.
The Commission also cited Goa, where the CEO has directed BLOs to conduct house-to-house visits to voters left out of the rolls. According to the ECI, 81 of 97 voters in the state had already filled Form 6 for inclusion.
ECI clarifies Cabinet Secretary letter
The Commission also addressed the issue of correspondence with the Cabinet Secretary, which had figured in the reporting around the internal functioning of the poll panel. It said the letter was not related to any policy matter of the Commission or its IT division, but concerned the working of an officer on deputation to the ECI.
According to The Indian Express, the two Commissioners had objected to a work-allocation order affecting IT oversight and subsequently set it aside.
The Commission said work redistribution orders issued by the concerned officer were not implemented after the directions of the two Commissioners and that oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn.
Other decisions taken at the meeting
The Commission also decided that agendas for all future Commission meetings will be circulated in advance and minutes will be issued. It directed that Annual Performance Appraisal Reports of all officers be completed within the stipulated deadline of December 31 every year. The Commission’s approval will also be required for foreign trips by its officers.