'All decisions taken unanimously': Election Commission denies dissent report on SIR
Officials said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had flagged multiple issues during the voter roll clean-up, including deletion of names in various states and the handling of the voter database.
- Sep 23, 2026,
- Updated Sep 23, 2026 12:30 PM IST
Fresh questions have emerged over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls after a media report said two Election Commissioners repeatedly raised concerns over the process, even as Election Commission officials on Wednesday said all decisions on the pan-India exercise were taken unanimously.
Officials said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had flagged multiple issues during the voter roll clean-up, including deletion of names in various states and the handling of the voter database. However, Election Commission sources maintained that every decision, including those related to the SIR, was taken with the approval of both Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Officials say all decisions were unanimous
Election Commission sources said individual views expressed by Election Commissioners do not amount to decisions of the Commission. "While any or both Election Commissioners, or the Chief Election Commissioner, may have individual opinions on any matter, all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including the SIR, have been taken unanimously and with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner," sources told India Today TV.
According to the officials, the concerns raised by the two commissioners related to deletion of names in different states during the electoral roll clean-up and issues linked to the handling of the voter database. The sources said these instances should not be seen as dissent within the Commission over the SIR.
EC cites law, Supreme Court judgment and consensus
Sources said the functioning of the Commission is governed by law and supported by a Supreme Court judgment which underlines that, as far as possible, decisions should be taken unanimously and, where required, the majority view should prevail. "Since the brain is human, not a computer, differences in opinion are natural. But by coordinating and reaching consensus, things move forward," the sources said.
Rejecting allegations of any central interference in the system, they said there is a single system for the entire country into which all Electoral Officers feed data, and added that no complaints of interference had been received so far, despite officials having different ideological leanings.
EC responds to report on objections during voter roll revision
The officials were responding to a media report which said Sandhu and Joshi had objected to the Election Commission's steps 14 times over the last 10 months during the SIR process. The Indian Express reported that issues linked to the SIR of electoral rolls were repeatedly raised within the three-member Election Commission, and that the national rollout of the exercise was being supervised by all three commissioners.
The report said Sandhu and Joshi had formally objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months. It also said four objections were raised on a single day, and that the two commissioners stated that some decisions were taken and orders issued without their knowledge.
Opposition targets EC over SIR
Opposition parties have criticised the Election Commission over the SIR, alleging that the exercise was meant to target electors not aligned to the BJP and its allies. The report also triggered a political row, with Opposition parties seeking the Supreme Court's intervention.
The developments have again put the SIR process in focus, with officials insisting that the Commission's decisions were unanimous even as the report highlighted repeated objections raised by two Election Commissioners over voter roll clean-up, deletion of names and the handling of the voter database.
Fresh questions have emerged over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls after a media report said two Election Commissioners repeatedly raised concerns over the process, even as Election Commission officials on Wednesday said all decisions on the pan-India exercise were taken unanimously.
Officials said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had flagged multiple issues during the voter roll clean-up, including deletion of names in various states and the handling of the voter database. However, Election Commission sources maintained that every decision, including those related to the SIR, was taken with the approval of both Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Officials say all decisions were unanimous
Election Commission sources said individual views expressed by Election Commissioners do not amount to decisions of the Commission. "While any or both Election Commissioners, or the Chief Election Commissioner, may have individual opinions on any matter, all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including the SIR, have been taken unanimously and with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner," sources told India Today TV.
According to the officials, the concerns raised by the two commissioners related to deletion of names in different states during the electoral roll clean-up and issues linked to the handling of the voter database. The sources said these instances should not be seen as dissent within the Commission over the SIR.
EC cites law, Supreme Court judgment and consensus
Sources said the functioning of the Commission is governed by law and supported by a Supreme Court judgment which underlines that, as far as possible, decisions should be taken unanimously and, where required, the majority view should prevail. "Since the brain is human, not a computer, differences in opinion are natural. But by coordinating and reaching consensus, things move forward," the sources said.
Rejecting allegations of any central interference in the system, they said there is a single system for the entire country into which all Electoral Officers feed data, and added that no complaints of interference had been received so far, despite officials having different ideological leanings.
EC responds to report on objections during voter roll revision
The officials were responding to a media report which said Sandhu and Joshi had objected to the Election Commission's steps 14 times over the last 10 months during the SIR process. The Indian Express reported that issues linked to the SIR of electoral rolls were repeatedly raised within the three-member Election Commission, and that the national rollout of the exercise was being supervised by all three commissioners.
The report said Sandhu and Joshi had formally objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months. It also said four objections were raised on a single day, and that the two commissioners stated that some decisions were taken and orders issued without their knowledge.
Opposition targets EC over SIR
Opposition parties have criticised the Election Commission over the SIR, alleging that the exercise was meant to target electors not aligned to the BJP and its allies. The report also triggered a political row, with Opposition parties seeking the Supreme Court's intervention.
The developments have again put the SIR process in focus, with officials insisting that the Commission's decisions were unanimous even as the report highlighted repeated objections raised by two Election Commissioners over voter roll clean-up, deletion of names and the handling of the voter database.