Election Commissioners flagged issues but poll body unanimous on SIR decisions: Officials

New Delhi: Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had flagged multiple issues, including deletion of names, in various states during the voter roll cleanup but the poll body was unanimous in its decisions related to the pan-India Special Intensive Revision of voters' list, officials claimed on Wednesday.

The officials made the remarks in the wake of an Indian Express report that the two Election Commissioners had objected to the Election Commission's steps 14 times in 10 months amid the SIR.

Responding to queries, the officials said the two commissioners had flagged decisions related to deletion of names in various states during the poll roll cleanup and handling of voter database.


EC sources maintained that all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including SIR, have been unanimous and with the approval of both the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.

Officials said the law governing the functioning of the Election Commission and a Supreme Court judgment underline that as much as possible, decisions should be taken unanimously and if need be, majority view should prevail.

The daily reported that questions were raised on issues related to the SIR of electoral rolls within the three-member Election Commission (EC) itself, time and again by two of the three Election Commissioners, Sandhu and Joshi.

The national rollout of the SIR has been under the supervision of all three Commissioners. But Sandhu and Joshi have formally objected, on record, at least 14 times over the last 10 months -- four times on a single day -- to decisions taken and orders issued, they say, without their knowledge, the report in the English daily said.

Opposition parties have slammed the EC over the SIR, claiming it was meant to target electors not aligned to the BJP and its allies.