Article 2: Deep rot
Why in news: An investigation has highlighted repeated objections by two Election Commissioners over decisions concerning SIR, voter registration, electoral databases and voter deletions, raising concerns about the transparency and functioning of the ECI.
Key Details
- ECI dissent: Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly recorded 14 objectionsbetween October 2025 and August 2026 over decisions taken during the SIR process.
- Form 6 controversy: Changes to Form 6 introduced questions about whether applicants or their family members appeared in previous SIR rolls. Mr. Sandhu described these changes as unauthorised and illegal.
- Database concerns: The Commissioners flagged centralisation of electoral-roll data, sought an audit and noted that field officials lacked full access to ERONet, potentially affecting Electoral Registration Officers.
- West Bengal impact: Around 60 lakh electors were flagged for “logical discrepancies” and 27 lakh names were deleted. Of the 38 lakh appeals, more than 90% of decided deletion cases resulted in restoration.
- Universal franchise concern: The SIR design has raised concerns because voters may have to prove their eligibility after deletion, shifting the burden from the electoral administration to citizens and potentially affecting the principle of universal adult franchise.
Dissent Within the Election Commission
- An investigation into the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) found recorded disagreements among Election Commissioners.
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly objected at least 14 times between October 2025 and August 2026 to decisions they said were taken without their knowledge.
- Their concerns included changes to electoral forms, database management and the functioning of field-level election officials.
Concerns Over Electoral Roll Management
- Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi had reportedly cautioned that changes to Form 6 required amendments to the relevant rules.
- The revised form later sought information about whether applicants or their parents or grandparents appeared in the electoral rolls of the previous SIR.
- The Commissioners also sought an audit of the centralised electoral database and raised concerns over field officials’ incomplete access to the ERONet portal.
West Bengal SIR and Voter Appeals
- Around 60 lakh electors in West Bengal were flagged for software-generated “logical discrepancies”, following which around 27 lakh names were deleted.
- Of the approximately 38 lakh appeals before tribunals, around 16.1 lakh were reportedly filed by people seeking removal of electors who had been included by judicial officers.
- More than nine out of 10 decided appeals against deletions reportedly resulted in restoration of the concerned electors.
Wider Constitutional and Legal Concerns
- Similar concerns have emerged in Delhi, where draft rolls in 24 of 70 constituencies reportedly contain fewer electors than the number who voted in the 2025 Assembly election.
- Justice Dipankar Datta reportedly questioned whether replacing the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister on the CEC selection panel met the “perception test”.
- The broader legal debate concerns whether electoral-roll revision should place the primary burden of proving eligibility on citizens or on the election authorities.
Need for Transparency and Safeguards
- The controversy highlights the need for greater transparency, institutional checks and independent auditing of electoral databases and revision procedures.
- Any large-scale deletion of voters should be accompanied by effective verification, accessible appeals and safeguards against wrongful exclusion.
- The central objective should be to maintain accurate electoral rolls while protecting the constitutional principle of universal adult franchise.
Conclusion
The controversy highlights the importance of institutional checks within constitutional bodies. Electoral reforms should combine technological efficiency with clear accountability, statutory safeguards and adequate participation of field-level authorities. A transparent record of decision-making, effective grievance mechanisms and independent auditing can strengthen confidence in electoral rolls. Ultimately, electoral integrity depends on both accurate voter lists and credible institutional processes.