The ECI countered an Indian Express report on internal friction, asserting its ECINet platform is secure, decentralised, and adheres to electoral law. It clarified that only designated officers can access it, rejecting claims of centralised control.
ECI Clarifies ECINet’s Design and Security
Amid the Indian Express report alleging administrative friction within the Election Commission, the Election Commission of India on Thursday said that ECINet is designed as a secure, decentralised digital platform operationalised under the provisions of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1950, and the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1951. The poll body added that, in strict adherence to electoral law, statutory duties on ECINet are executed purely by designated field officers—specifically Block Level Officers (BLOs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), District Election Officers (DEOs), and Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs)—authenticated strictly through unique IDs and secure credentials.
“ECINet is a decentralised platform designed in accordance with the RP Act 1950, RP Act 1951 and the instructions issued by ECI from time to time. As per law, BLOs, AEROs, EROs, DEOs and CEOs can perform their statutory functions on this platform with their Unique ID and Password.ECINet is a decentralised platform designed in accordance with the RP Act 1950, RP Act 1951 and the instructions issued by ECI from time to time,” said the poll body. No other official—including administrative personnel or officers within the Election Commission itself—is authorised to perform or override the statutory functions assigned to these designated field officers on the ECINet platform. “Nobody else can perform their statutory function on ECINet, including any other officer of ECI,” it said. To counter unauthorised access and malicious network threats, it stated, “In order to ward off malicious attempts to hack ECINet (which were to the tune of 68 lakhs just on counting day of the general elections to the legislative assemblies conducted earlier this year), the cybersecurity of ECINet is provided by ECI.”
Allegations of Centralisation and Political Reaction
This comes after the Indian Express alleged administrative disquiet and technical friction within the Election Commission. The reports claimed that internal notes recorded by Election Commissioners raised concerns over the “gradual centralisation” of the electoral roll database, claiming that technical access restrictions on ECINet/ERONet were limiting ground-level EROs and statutory state officers from independently executing voter modifications. The Election Commission last year began a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, billed as a clean-up exercise. Under it, electors submitted forms and documents via ECINet, which officials then processed. The poll body launched the ECINet app in January this year, with a beta version tested during the Bihar polls last November. While the platform disseminates real-time poll results for the public, it is also used by election officials.
A report in The Indian Express claimed that the concerns flagged by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi — over centralisation of ECINet and sidelining of ground-level state officials — have played out in Goa, with a trail on record. Citing these investigative disclosures, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched a direct political attack on the ECI. He alleged that automated software tools and centralised control over the digital infrastructure were being leveraged to facilitate unauthorised voter deletions and manipulate the voter database.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Annexure D
Parallel to the digital framework, the statutory process governing voter registration and Special Intensive Revisions (SIR) under Section 21(3) of the RP Act, 1950, stands fully upheld by the judiciary. Through successive orders—for Bihar (24.06.2025), 12 States/UTs (27.10.2025), and 19 States/UTs (14.05.2026)—the Commission unanimously mandated that new elector registration applications or shifting requests (Form 6/Form 8) be accompanied by an additional Declaration Form (Annexure D). “Further, in case of application for registration as a new elector or for shifting from outside the state of Bihar, it is also directed that henceforth, along with Form 6/Form 8, an additional Declaration Form (Annexure D) shall also be required to be filled by the applicant to support the declaration made therein,” added ECI. The poll body said that a simplified Voter Verification declaration form was introduced to streamline verification for citizens, allowing applicants submitting Annexure D to register without being burdened with additional documentation.
Another order of SIR was issued for 12 States/UT on October 27, 2025, which also had the same provision (page no 5, point no 4), again with the unanimous approval of the Commission. “Further, in case of application for registration as a new elector or for shifting from outside the state, it is also directed that henceforth, along with Form 6/Form 8, an additional Declaration Form (Annexure D) shall also be required to be filled by the applicant to support the declaration made therein,” added ECI.
Subsequently, through the order dated May 14, 2026, the SIR was conducted in 19 States/UTs with the same provision (page number 5, point number 4), with the unanimous approval of the Commission. “Further, in case of application for registration as a new elector or for shifting from outside the state, it is also directed that henceforth, along with Form 6/Form 8, an additional Declaration Form (Annexure D) shall also be required to be filled by the applicant to support the declaration made therein.”
Judicial Validation and Final Rejection of Allegations
The Supreme Court of India upheld the validity of requiring Form 6 along with Annexure D. The Apex Court affirmed that the SIR exercise does not conflict with the RP Act or the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, confirming that it is traceably backed by Section 21(3) of the RP Act read with Article 324 of the Constitution to safeguard free and fair elections. “45(f)-any new voter was required to submit Form 6 along with a Declaration Form in Annexure D of the Impugned Order. 186(a)-The Impugned SIR exercise neither stands in direct conflict with the RP Act and the 1960 Rules, nor does it detract from the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections. It is, instead, an exercise traceable to Section 21(3) of the RP Act read with Article 324 of the Constitution, undertaken to advance the very objective which Part XV of the Constitution is designed to protect,” it said.
According to ECI, the declaration form has been introduced for the ease of voters so that whoever gives the declaration form need not submit any other documents. This has been uniformly applied in the SIR across all States/UTs. Moreover, the ECI firmly rejected the allegations, clarifying that no online tool or public access mechanism allows the deletion of voters; deletions or modifications cannot occur automatically and require strict adherence to natural justice, ensuring every affected elector is given an opportunity to be heard and all decisions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) procedures and electoral administration were taken uniformly and in compliance with statutory provisions. (ANI)
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