Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday urged the Election Commission to address questions surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying that maintaining public trust in the poll panel was essential. He particularly called on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to firmly present the Commission’s position amid reports of internal disagreements over decisions linked to the revision exercise.
Paswan’s remarks came after a report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections multiple times over decisions and orders related to the SIR process. According to the report cited in the article, the two commissioners had objected at least 14 times over a period of 10 months.
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The Union minister said that if questions were being raised against the Election Commission, it was the responsibility of the poll panel, especially the Chief Election Commissioner, to explain its position clearly. He said the issue was not about political criticism but about ensuring that people retained confidence in the electoral process.
Paswan said the Election Commission must maintain the trust of the people and address any doubts that may arise in the public mind regarding the electoral system. He argued that the Commission should put forward its position firmly so that questions surrounding its functioning do not create further uncertainty.
The concerns highlighted in the report included changes involving the ERONet electoral roll database platform, modifications to voter registration forms and decisions concerning deletions from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected suggestions that there was a formal disagreement among its members over the exercise. The poll panel said that internal technical notes and written queries are part of the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body. It maintained that all final decisions related to the SIR process were taken unanimously and had the approval of all three commissioners.
The issue has also drawn criticism from opposition parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, accused the Election Commission of failing to protect the integrity of the electoral process and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. He also said the Congress would continue to raise the issue.
Paswan, while referring to questions being raised against the poll panel, said he was less concerned about political criticism and more focused on the need for the Election Commission to communicate clearly with the public.
The debate comes amid heightened political attention on the electoral roll revision process. The Election Commission has continued to defend its decisions, while opposition leaders have questioned aspects of the exercise.
Paswan’s comments therefore put the focus on the importance of transparency and public confidence as the controversy over the SIR process continues.
