New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday asserted that all major decisions taken by the poll panel during the past year, including those linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were made unanimously.

The clarification came hours after an investigation by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period to decisions concerning electoral rolls and the SIR exercise.

In a statement posted on X, the ECI described itself as a multi-member constitutional body functioning under Article 324 of the Constitution. It said differences of opinion, observations and technical suggestions during internal deliberations were a normal part of institutional decision-making and did not mean that final decisions were divided.

“Differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution,” the Commission said.

The ECI added that not only the three Commissioners but also its officers are authorised to offer suggestions aimed at improving the electoral system.

Former CEC O.P. Rawat says dissent within the Election Commission is “perfectly normal” and decisions are taken unanimously or by majority vote.#OPRawat #ElectionCommission #ECI #IndianDemocracy #ConstitutionOfIndia #NewsTrack | @maryashakil pic.twitter.com/jQrCzMhVgq

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) September 23, 2026

ECI: Internal differences do not mean split

The Commission said it had taken numerous decisions, issued instructions and introduced around 40 initiatives over the past year as part of electoral reforms. These included electoral-roll revisions, the SIR exercise and preparations for elections in different states.

According to the ECI, these measures were ultimately approved unanimously by the full Commission. The statement appeared aimed at countering any impression that the reported objections by two Commissioners represented a formal split within the three-member poll panel.

The legal framework governing the Commission provides for its business to be conducted, as far as possible, unanimously, with differences ultimately settled through the prescribed decision-making process.

What the investigation reported

The Indian Express investigation said Sandhu and Joshi had placed objections on record on several issues relating to voter registration and deletion, changes to Form 6, electoral-roll databases and aspects of the SIR process. The report said some objections concerned decisions that the two Commissioners claimed had been taken without their knowledge or approval.

The reported disagreements also included concerns over the handling of electoral-roll software and the centralisation of aspects of the voter database. According to the report, the two Commissioners had also raised concerns about changes to Form 6, the statutory form used for new voter registration.

The ECI, however, has maintained that written notes, observations and internal checks are part of the normal deliberative process and that the final decisions of the Commission were unanimous.

Opposition turns up heat

The ECI’s clarification triggered a wider political confrontation, with Opposition leaders demanding greater scrutiny of the Commission’s functioning and the SIR process.

Congress leader K.C. Venugopal called for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and sought a court-monitored investigation, alleging that voter deletions and changes to electoral-roll management had been carried out improperly.

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also demanded action against the CEC and called for an investigation into the allegations surrounding the electoral-roll process.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described the reported findings as “extremely serious”.

Tejashwi seeks fresh polls in Bihar, Bengal

Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav also entered the controversy, demanding fresh elections in Bihar and West Bengal while alleging irregularities in the electoral process. His remarks came after the publication of the Indian Express investigation.

Yadav’s demand represents a political allegation and has not been established as a finding of any court or election authority.

Omar Abdullah raises trust concerns

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the reported internal objections raised questions about the functioning and transparency of the Election Commission.

Abdullah called for “corrective action” and warned that public confidence in elections was central to the functioning of democracy. He also referred to earlier concerns over electoral delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir.

SIR remains at the centre of controversy

The latest exchange has put the SIR exercise and the internal functioning of the Election Commission under renewed public and political scrutiny.

The central issue now is not simply whether Commissioners expressed differing views during internal deliberations, but how those objections were considered and how the Commission reached its final decisions.

The ECI maintains that institutional debate is a normal safeguard and that its decisions over the past year were unanimous. The Indian Express investigation, meanwhile, has highlighted repeated objections recorded by two Commissioners. The competing accounts have intensified demands for greater transparency over electoral-roll management and the SIR process.