Election Commission Takes Key Decisions Amid SIR Row, Clarifies Cabinet Secretary Letter Was Not on Policy Matter

September 26, 2026

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday held a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid the ongoing row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and reports of differences within the poll panel.

Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were also present at the meeting held at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi. Following the meeting, the Election Commission issued clarifications on several issues related to SIR, voter enrolment and its internal functioning.

EC Says SIR Decisions Taken Unanimously

The Election Commission said its decisions concerning the SIR of electoral rolls were taken with the unanimous approval of the full Commission.

The poll panel reiterated that its June 24, 2025 order for conducting SIR across all states and Union Territories was issued with unanimous approval. The Commission also said subsequent SIR schedules were approved unanimously.

The clarification came amid reports of objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over various decisions related to SIR. The Commission maintained that individual opinions expressed during deliberations do not constitute decisions of the Commission.

EC Clarifies Letter to Cabinet Secretary

The Election Commission also clarified the issue surrounding a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary.

According to the poll panel, the letter concerned the functioning of an officer on deputation to the Election Commission and was not related to any policy matter of the Commission or its IT division.

The clarification came after reports of internal objections and correspondence involving the Election Commissioners had triggered wider questions over the functioning of the poll panel.

Measures Announced on SIR and Voter Enrolment

The Commission also announced measures concerning the ongoing SIR exercise, including steps aimed at making the process easier for voters facing discrepancies in their records.

The EC has also extended certain deadlines for claims and objections in Delhi and Maharashtra, while reviewing aspects of its voter-registration and digital systems.

The Commission said the decisions were taken at its September 26 meeting and reiterated its position on the functioning of the three-member poll panel.