ECI Bows To Pressure, Reverses Key SIR Decisions After 14 Dissent Notes: Full Commission Meeting Held Today
ECI Bows To Pressure, Reverses Key SIR Decisions After 14 Dissent Notes: Full Commission Meeting Held Today
SUNIL NEGI
New Delhi, 26 September 2026
After so much protest demonstrations and hullabaloo including lathicharge on Gen Z protestors at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, forcible arrests of protestors demanding resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and especially after the startling revelation by The Indian Express highlighting that two Election Commissioners had objected to CEC’s unilateral decisions at least 14 times in 10 months, the Chief Election Commissioner along with the two Election Commissioners held a cordial meeting at Nirvachan Sadan and took several significant decisions.
The Election Commission of India today issued Press Note No. ECI/PN/120/2026 dated 26.09.2026 stating that the meeting of the full Commission was held today at 3:00 PM and the following decisions were taken unanimously:
The biggest decision relates to persons to whom notices have been issued during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) for being unmapped and logical discrepancies. The Commission decided that BLOs will now visit the homes of such persons for collection of documents and thereafter upload them on ECINet, for decision by the ERO. Such persons need not be called for hearing to ERO/AERO office. Only in exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, the hearing will be held preferably online. Any adult member of the family can be authorized by the elector to attend the hearing on their behalf. Facilities for online hearing to be strengthened.
This comes after reports that in Delhi alone 33 lakh people had been issued notices and were being forced to appear at ERO offices.
DEOs (District Election Officers) will create adequate number of help desks and hold special camps for people living in night shelters, labor, poor people, homeless etc. as per requirement.
On the contentious Form 6 issue which created a kit of controversies, the Commission said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. For non-SIR period, the Forms applicable as per Rules (Registration of Electors Rules 1960) will be used. In effect, the earlier Form 6 with previous conditions has been restored for normal continuous updation, cancelling the new one which had created tremendous problems for new eligible young voters after a column – “Are you or your parents/grandparents linked to SIR” – was added.
On the allegation of centralising powers in the hands of DG (IT) Seema Khanna and withdrawing role-based access of field officers, the Commission said field officers have role-based access to the ECINET system as per their statutory powers. A Committee headed by Sr. Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) and including an independent expert from IIT/IIIT will review the ECINET to double-check that it complies with provisions of the Acts and Rules and submit report to the Commission. Various upgradations of the portal have already been made based on inputs from State CEOs in past few months. In case any further flexibility is required by field officers, that will be made operational. Henceforth, all new initiatives about IT modules and portals will be discussed in Committee of Officers (COO) before approval by the Commission.
In view of request received from CEO Delhi, the period for filing claims and objections has been extended till 30th October, 2026. The period of disposal of notices and claims & objections has been extended till 30th November 2026.
Also, as per request received from CEO Maharashtra, the period for filing claims and objections in Maharashtra has been extended till 12th October, 2026. The period of disposal in Maharashtra has been extended till 10th November 2026.
For all Commission’s meetings, agenda will be circulated in advance and minutes will be issued.
APARs (Annual Performance Appraisal Reports) of all officers will be completed within stipulated time frame i.e. 31st December every year.
Approval of the Commission will be taken for foreign trips of officers.
All directions issued by the Commissioners to officers of the Commission shall be meticulously complied with.
The Press Note reiterated that SIR has already been completed in 20 States/UTs including Bihar and West Bengal. Any person whose name has got left out during SIR or thereafter, and any person including young/first-time voter, may apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion under continuous updation. CEOs have been directed to facilitate the same. The CEOs, DEOs, EROs will immediately launch a special drive for enrolment.
The Commission further clarified that the letter to Cabinet Secretary was not related to any policy matter or IT division but related to working of an officer on deputation to ECI. The work redistribution orders issued by the concerned officer were not actually implemented after orders of the two Commissioners and oversight over IT division by the DEC was never actually withdrawn.
It also said the order for SIR issued on 24.6.2025 for all States/UTs, starting with Bihar, followed by West Bengal and 30 other States/UTs was issued with unanimous approval of the Commission. The same has been upheld by Hon’ble Supreme Court vide its order dated 27.5.2026.
The schedule for SIR for 12 States and UTs was issued on 27.10.2025 and those for 19 States/UTs was issued on 14.05.2026 with unanimous approval. The final figure of number of electors will be known only after final publication in remaining 12 states of Phase-III.
On Goa controversy, it said CEO Goa has directed concerned BLOs to conduct house to house visits to left out voters to collect their forms. 81 voters out of 97 have already filled Form 6 for inclusion.
The Press Note issued by Deputy Director P Pawan said this Press Note is issued as per decisions of the meeting of the Commission held on 26.09.2026 and has the approval of the full Commission.
