Amid SIR Controversy, Full Election Commission Meets at Nirvachan Sadan ECI Reviews ECINet, Eases SIR Hearings After Full Commission Meeting

Election Commission Holds Full-Panel Meeting Amid SIR Controversy; Clarifies Unanimous Decision-Making

New Delhi, September 26, 2026: A full meeting of the Election Commission of India was held at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi at 3 PM on Saturday, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi in attendance. The meeting came amid intense public and political attention over the functioning of the poll panel and reports of differences among the three commissioners over aspects of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. 

ECI Says SIR Decisions Were Unanimous

Following the meeting, the Election Commission sought to address reports of an internal rift. The Commission said that decisions relating to the SIR schedule and its implementation were approved unanimously by all three commissioners. It also maintained that the formal orders issued by the Commission reflected the collective decision of the full panel. 

The clarification came after reports that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on several issues connected with electoral-roll management. The Indian Express reported that the two commissioners had recorded objections on multiple occasions over the past 10 months, including concerns relating to voter additions and deletions, the Form 6 registration process and access to electoral-roll databases. 

Dispute Over Internal Communications

The reports of differences within the Commission have centred partly on whether certain administrative and technical decisions were taken with the knowledge and approval of all three commissioners.

According to the Commission's latest clarification, a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary was administrative in nature and did not represent a policy decision of the poll panel. The ECI also sought to distinguish administrative communications from formal decisions taken by the Commission itself. 

ECINet Platform to Face Review

One of the significant outcomes reported after Saturday's meeting was a decision to review ECINet, the Election Commission's digital platform used for electoral-roll and election-related processes.

The ECI has ordered a review involving an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT, according to reports. The move comes after concerns had been raised about the functioning and management of the technology infrastructure supporting electoral rolls. 

Changes to SIR Hearing Process

The Commission also announced measures concerning electors who receive notices during the SIR process. Reports said the ECI decided to simplify aspects of the hearing procedure for certain voters, including those whose names could not initially be mapped with earlier electoral rolls. 

The poll panel also extended the deadlines for claims and objections in Delhi and Maharashtra. According to reports, the deadline for claims and objections was extended to October 30 in Delhi and November 12 in Maharashtra, while additional time was provided for disposal of notices, claims and objections.

Background to the SIR Controversy

The meeting took place against the backdrop of a broader debate over the SIR exercise and electoral-roll management. The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections concerning changes to Form 6, which is used by new voters to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls. The report said the commissioners questioned the introduction of SIR-related questions into the form and raised concerns about the legal procedure for changing statutory election forms. 

The same investigation reported concerns about the centralisation of electoral-roll databases and access to the digital systems used by statutory election authorities. These claims have been disputed or contextualised by the Election Commission, which has emphasised that formal decisions of the Commission were taken collectively. 

Significance of Saturday's Meeting

The September 26 meeting was closely watched because it brought Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi together for a full Commission meeting amid the controversy. Reports described it as the first such meeting since recent media reports highlighted disagreements over aspects of electoral-roll management. 

The Commission's latest statements therefore focus on two points: that formal SIR decisions received unanimous approval and that administrative and technological processes are being reviewed or streamlined. At the same time, questions raised in published reports about internal communications and electoral-roll procedures remain part of the ongoing public debate.