Full Breakdown
Election Commission Split Over ECINet Centralisation
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Conflict: Commissioners Challenge Centralised Control of Voter Database
The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched ECINet on January 22, consolidating more than 40 applications that serve nearly a billion voters. Within months, Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised formal objections, arguing that the system restricts the statutory powers of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), District Electoral Officers (DEOs) and Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs).
Background & Context
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, each Assembly constituency has an ERO—typically a sub-divisional magistrate—who prepares, updates, and decides on entries in the electoral roll. The EC’s IT division, led by Director General of IT Seema Khanna, manages the software that implements roll-management functions.
Timeline of Key Developments
- January 2 2026 – With the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) underway, Sanjay Kumar asked Khanna to ensure the IT system did not limit ERO discretion.
- April 16 2026 – Sandhu recorded that the IT division had added new modules without informing the Commission.
- May 29 2026 – Joshi wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner, Sandhu and Sanjay Kumar proposing an audit by IIT experts to certify that only statutory authorities could alter the voter database.
- July 13 2026 – Sandhu endorsed the audit proposal, saying it would “improve the system.”
- July 28 2026 – Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg reassigned oversight of the IT division, removing Sanjay Kumar.
- July 29 2026 – Sandhu and Joshi each sent letters to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, labeling the reassignment a “clear violation” of the governing law.
- July 30 2026 – The two Commissioners jointly set Garg’s order aside, directing the previous work allocation to remain in force.
- August 13-14 2026 – Sandhu recorded that changes to Form 6 were “unauthorised and illegal” and that many CEOs, DEOs and EROs lacked “proper and complete access” to ECINet.
Data & Statistics
- The Commissioners logged 14 formal objections over ten months.
- The SIR exercise, which began in Bihar in June 2025, has struck off more than 13 crore voters across 30 states and Union Territories.
- In Delhi’s SIR, 33 lakh electors are subject to verification, including 13.7 lakh served “no-mapping” notices. About 70,000 hearings have been conducted across 70 Assembly constituencies.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Cabinet Secretary received the Commissioners’ letters but, according to Commission records, no corrective action was documented.
On-the-Ground Reports
Confusion has arisen among Delhi officials about the documents required for “no-mapping” notices. An elector-service officer noted that many voters were unaware of the option to verify documents at home, leading to long queues at hearing centres.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I am myself not able to understand what documents are needed. All notices are in English. How will I explain them to others?” — Mr. Bind
What’s Next
- All SIR hearings, claims and objections must be completed by October 29, after which the final electoral roll will be published on November 4.
The dispute underscores a tension between the ECI’s technological modernization and the statutory decentralisation embedded in India’s electoral framework. The Commissioners’ objections and call for an independent audit highlight concerns that centralised IT control could undermine safeguards designed to keep the voter list free from unilateral manipulation.