NEW DELHI, Sept 26: The Election Commission on Saturday said all orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were issued with the approval of all three Election Commissioners, amid reports of differences within the poll panel.
In a detailed statement, the Commission said the SIR order issued on June 24, 2025, covering all states and Union Territories, beginning with Bihar and subsequently extending to West Bengal and 30 other states and UTs, received unanimous approval. The Commission also said the Supreme Court upheld the order in its May 27, 2026 ruling.
The EC said the SIR schedules issued for 12 states and UTs on October 27, 2025, and for another 19 states and UTs on May 14, 2026, were also approved unanimously.
Addressing reports concerning Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, the poll panel said letters sent by the two commissioners to the Cabinet Secretary were related to the functioning of an officer on deputation and not to any policy decision of the Commission or its IT division.
The Commission said certain work redistribution orders issued by the officer were not implemented following directions from the two commissioners. It also clarified that oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn.
The EC further said agendas for its meetings would be circulated in advance and minutes would be issued. It added that directions issued by the commissioners to officials would be complied with in accordance with established procedures.
On Form 6, used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls, the Commission said the declaration introduced for the SIR process had been upheld by the Supreme Court. It added that regular Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would continue to be used during non-SIR periods.
The Commission also clarified that electors who receive SIR notices generally would not be required to appear personally for hearings, except in exceptional cases. Booth Level Officers can visit such voters at their residences to collect documents, which will then be uploaded to the ECINET system for consideration by the Electoral Registration Officer.
On the Goa electoral roll issue, the EC said the Chief Electoral Officer had directed Booth Level Officers to conduct house-to-house visits to voters who were left out. Of 97 voters identified, 81 had already submitted Form 6 applications for inclusion.
The latest statement comes after The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over decisions concerning the SIR exercise, voter registration and the functioning of the electoral roll technology system.
The Election Commission maintained that differences in views and observations are part of normal institutional deliberations and reiterated that its decisions have legal backing and are taken in accordance with statutory procedures.
