Deep rot: On the Election Commission of India’s functioning during its SIR
An investigation into India's Election Commission reveals internal dissent regarding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Commissioners raised concerns over unauthorized changes to voter forms and the centralizing of databases, which allegedly led to the deletion of millions of genuine voters.
Why it matters
The integrity of the electoral process is fundamental to democracy, and allegations of systemic manipulation within the ECI pose significant questions about institutional independence.
The investigation by The Indian Express into the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) functioning during its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) shows that the disquiet over what transpired under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar ’s watch is not limited to civil society, the media and the Opposition . It ran through the ECI itself, as Election Commissioners (EC) Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times between October 2025 and August 2026 to decisions, many of which, they said, were taken without their knowledge. Their dissent mirrors what many have long said about the SIR. In May, Mr. Joshi had warned that Form 6, the application for new electors, could not be altered without the government amending the rules.
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