ECI rejects report of dissent by Election Commissioners

The Election Commission rejected a report alleging two Election Commissioners recorded dissent over poll panel decisions. The Indian Express reported objections by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on several matters, while the ECI maintained that decisions, including SIR, were unanimous.

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rejected a report by a leading newspaper claiming that two Election Commissioners had “objected on record” to several decisions taken by the poll panel, allegedly without their knowledge.

People familiar with the developments and having direct knowledge of the matter said that no Election Commissioner had recorded any dissent on the decisions taken by the poll body. They said the two commissioners had only made certain observations, which were subsequently examined by the Commission.

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The latest controversy comes after The Indian Express published an investigative report claiming that on 14 occasions over a period of 10 months, two Election Commissioners had objected on record to steps taken by the Commission.

According to the report, the objections related to a range of decisions and processes, including allegations that the commissioners were kept in the dark about certain matters as well as issues concerning the addition of new voters and deletion of names from electoral rolls.

Sources also said that all decisions taken by the ECI bear the signatures of all three members of the poll panel — Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

Sources further pointed out that the rules governing the Election Commission contain a provision under which a majority decision prevails if two of the three Election Commissioners agree on any matter. “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,” an ECI source said.

Opposition parties have launched a fresh offensive against the ECI and alleged that the SIR exercise is a sophisticated process that could result in the exclusion of voters and benefit the BJP.

Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal alleged that the report confirms “the majority was not with Gyanesh Kumar”, while accusing the CEC of “making decisions arbitrarily according to his own whims”.

The Election Commission has rejected such allegations and maintained that the exercise is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls.