NEW DELHI, Sep 27: The Election Commission on Saturday said that all decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were taken with the approval of all three Election Commissioners.
The poll panel also said that changes made to Form 6, which is used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls, have been upheld by the Supreme Court.
The statement came amid reports of differences between Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The Election Commission said letters sent by Sandhu and Joshi to the Cabinet Secretary were not related to any policy decision of the Commission or its IT division. According to the EC, the correspondence concerned the functioning of an officer on deputation to the poll panel.
The Commission said certain work redistribution orders issued by the officer were not implemented following directions from the two Election Commissioners. It also clarified that supervision of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn.
According to the EC, the decision to conduct SIR across the country was taken unanimously. The order issued on June 24, 2025, covering all states and Union Territories and beginning with Bihar, followed by West Bengal and 30 other states and UTs, received the approval of all three Election Commissioners.
The Commission said the Supreme Court upheld the SIR order in its May 27, 2026 order.
It added that the SIR schedules for 12 states and Union Territories issued on October 27, 2025, and for another 19 states and UTs issued on May 14, 2026, were also approved unanimously.
The EC said the final number of electors would be known only after the final publication of electoral rolls in the remaining 12 states under Phase III.
Clarifying the use of Form 6, the Commission said the declaration attached to the form for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court. Outside the SIR process, the forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 would continue to be used.
The poll panel further stated that agendas for all Commission meetings would be circulated in advance and minutes would be issued. Directions issued by the Election Commissioners to officials would also be complied with, it said.
The EC said differences in views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations and maintained that its orders have legal backing and are issued in accordance with statutory procedures.
Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa has directed Booth Level Officers to conduct house-to-house visits to voters who were left out of the process and collect their forms. Of 97 such voters, 81 have already submitted Form 6 for inclusion, according to the Commission.
The EC also clarified that people who receive notices during the SIR process generally do not need to appear for personal hearings, except in exceptional circumstances.
