New Delhi, Sep 26: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday addressed the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that all major decisions, including the SIR order issued on June 24, 2025, for all States and Union Territories, were taken with the unanimous approval of the full Commission.
The Commission also clarified that the letter to the Cabinet Secretary was “not related to any policy matter of the Commission or IT division but related to the working of an officer on deputation to ECI”.
Addressing the controversy directly at the Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr S S Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, stated that the work re-distribution orders issued by the concerned officer “were not actually implemented after the orders of the two Commissioners, and the oversight over the IT division by the DEC was never actually withdrawn.”
This clarification appears to counter the narrative that there was a breakdown in the Commission’s internal functioning or that the IT division’s oversight had been compromised.
The Commission said the order for SIR issued on June 24, 2025, for all States and UTs, starting with Bihar, followed by West Bengal and 30 other States and UTs, was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission. The same has been upheld by the Supreme Court of India vide its order dated May 27, 2026.
The schedule for SIR for 12 States and UTs was issued on October 27, 2025, and for 19 States and UTs on May 14, 2026, again with the unanimous approval of the Commission.
“The final figure of the number of electors will be known only after final publication in the remaining 12 states of Phase-III,” the CEC said.
The Commission said SIR has already been completed in 20 States and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. Any person whose name has been left out during SIR or thereafter, and any person, including young and first-time voters, may apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion of their names in the electoral rolls under the process of continuous updation.
The ECI said the CEOs have been directed to facilitate the same. The CEOs, DEOs and EROs will immediately launch a special drive for enrolment of these electors.
The Commission extended the period for filing claims and objections in Delhi till October 30, 2026, and in Maharashtra till October 12, 2026. The period for disposal of notices and claims and objections has been extended till November 30, 2026, in Delhi and till November 10, 2026, in Maharashtra.
BLOs will visit the homes of persons issued notices for being unmapped and for logical discrepancies, for collection of documents and uploading them on ECINet. “Such persons need not be called for hearing to ERO/AERO offices. Only in exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, will a hearing be held, preferably online,” the CEC said.
He said DEOs will create adequate help desks and hold special camps for people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people and homeless persons.
A Committee headed by the Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from IIT/IIIT will review ECINET to double-check that it complies with the provisions of the Acts and Rules.
