ECI Says SIR and All Major Decisions Were Unanimous Calls of Full Commission

The Election Commission of India has stated that all its decisions, including the conduct of the electoral roll revision and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), were the outcome of unanimous decisions taken by the full Commission over the past year.

The Commission described itself as a constitutional body that functions under the mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, along with statutory rules and established institutional conventions. It operates as a multi-member body, and its official orders, decisions and administrative directions carry full legal sanctions and follow statutory procedures, including those under The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.

According to the Commission, written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks and balances are standard, ongoing practices meant to ensure transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour. It said any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during the draft stages are part of routine administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights, and that such suggestions were intended to further improve electoral processes.

The poll body noted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution and form part of the decision-making process before a final decision is taken. It added that not only the three Commissioners but every officer of the Commission is fully authorised to offer suggestions for improving the electoral system.

The Commission said that highlighting certain specific internal notes and observations spread over a period of ten months, while overlooking a much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives, presents only one part of the picture. In recent months, it said, it has taken numerous decisions, issued instructions, introduced around 40 new initiatives and undertaken several electoral reforms, including the electoral roll revision and SIR across the country. All these, it maintained, were unanimous decisions of the full Commission.

The Commission also pointed to the successful conduct of major elections in Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal, along with related election exercises during this period, saying this work involved wide-ranging administrative and operational machinery and many Commission approvals and instructions.

On data security, the Commission said its digital platforms, such as ECINet, operate under strict protocols to prevent unauthorised tampering or manipulation, and that IT security checks and audit controls are standard cybersecurity measures implemented across national databases. It added that statutory authorities, including Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers, function as per their statutory powers for registration and deletion under law.

The Commission said it remains fully committed to executing its constitutional duties with complete integrity, recognising its role in advancing the country's democracy.