SIR voters need not attend hearings in most cases, says poll panel

AMID reports of growing differences between Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, September 26, announced a series of measures to ease the process for voters.

The full Commission, comprising Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi, met at the ECI headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.

It announced that voters who have received SIR notices for being “unmapped” or having logical discrepancies will generally not have to appear before election officials.

Instead, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit their homes to collect documents and upload them on the ECINET system. The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will then decide the matter based on the documents, the Commission said.

The move comes as the poll panel faces mounting scrutiny over the SIR exercise and reports of disagreements among its members. The Indian Express has reported that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over decisions and orders relating to SIR.

The ECI has maintained that differences of opinion and observations are part of institutional deliberations. In Saturday’s press note, it also sought to emphasise that the SIR decisions were taken with the unanimous approval of the full Commission.

SIR hearings to be held only in exceptional cases

Under the new arrangement, voters who receive notices during SIR will not ordinarily be required to appear at the office of the ERO or Assistant ERO.

Hearings will be held only in exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, and will preferably be conducted online, the ECI said.

If a hearing is required, an elector can authorise any adult member of their family to appear on their behalf. The Commission said facilities for online hearings would also be strengthened.

District Election Officers (DEOs) have been directed to establish help desks and hold special camps, depending on local requirements, for people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people and homeless persons.

ECI stresses SIR orders were unanimous

The Commission's press note repeatedly emphasised that the SIR exercise had been approved unanimously.

It said the June 24, 2025 order initiating SIR across all states and union territories, beginning with Bihar and followed by West Bengal and 30 other states and UTs, was approved unanimously.

The Commission said the order was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court in its May 27, 2026 order.

It added that the SIR schedules issued for 12 states and UTs on October 27, 2025, and for another 19 states and UTs on May 14, 2026, were also approved unanimously.

Form 6 declaration, ECINET under review

The ECI said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court. For periods outside SIR, forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, will be used, it said.

The Commission also announced a review of ECINET, the portal used by election officials.

A committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT will examine whether the system complies with the relevant Acts and Rules and submit a report to the Commission.

The ECI said field officials currently have role-based access to ECINET according to their statutory powers. It added that several upgrades had already been made based on inputs from state Chief Electoral Officers and that further flexibility required by field officials would be introduced.

Going forward, new initiatives concerning IT modules and portals will first be discussed by the Committee of Officers before being placed before the Commission for approval.

Delhi, Maharashtra get more time

The ECI has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi to October 30, 2026. The deadline for disposal of notices, claims and objections has been extended to November 30.

In Maharashtra, claims and objections can now be filed until October 12, while their disposal has been extended to November 10.

Both extensions followed requests from the respective Chief Electoral Officers, the ECI said.

SIR completed in 20 states, says ECI

The Commission said SIR has been completed in 20 states and union territories, including Bihar and West Bengal.

Those whose names were left out during or after SIR, including young and first-time voters, can apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion through continuous updation, the ECI said.

The Commission has directed Chief Electoral Officers, DEOs and EROs to launch a special drive to enrol such voters.

In Goa, BLOs have been directed to visit voters who were left out of the exercise and collect their forms. Of 97 such voters, 81 have already filled Form 6, according to the ECI.

ECI issues other administrative directions

The Commission also announced changes to its internal functioning.

Agendas for Commission meetings will be circulated in advance and minutes will be issued, it said. Annual Performance Appraisal Reports of officers will have to be completed by December 31 every year, while foreign trips by officials will require Commission approval.

The ECI also said directions issued by the Commissioners to its officials must be followed.

On the controversy surrounding a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary, the Commission said it concerned the functioning of an officer deputed to the ECI and was not related to any policy matter or the IT Division.

It said work redistribution orders issued by the officer were not implemented after directions from two Commissioners, and that oversight of the IT Division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn.

The Commission said Saturday’s press note was issued with the approval of the full Commission.