While Questions Rising on Rift, ECI Meets: Doorstep Verification to Extended Timelines: Election Commission Directs Key Reforms in Voter Revision Drive

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced major procedural overhauls to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, ordering officials to perform doorstep document collection for voters facing discrepancies and ruling out mandatory physical hearings at electoral registration offices.

The decision, taken during a full Commission meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar alongside Election Commissioners Dr S.S. Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, addresses operational friction and public concerns regarding voter roll updates. The poll panel also extended the deadlines for filing claims and objections in Delhi and Maharashtra to ensure maximum coverage.

Key Changes: What Was Existing vs What Will Be Now

The Commission modified several key operational and administrative practices to simplify registration and tighten digital governance:

• Notice Hearings and Verification:

• Previous Practice: Citizens receiving notices for unmapped entries or logical discrepancies were required to make physical appearances at ERO or Assistant ERO offices for hearings.
• New Decision: Block Level Officers (BLOs) will visit electors' homes to collect verification documents and upload them directly to ECINet. Mandatory physical hearings are abolished, with exceptional cases handled online or through an authorized adult family member.

• Support for Homeless and Poor Citizens:

• Previous Practice: Special registration provisions were handled through standard administrative channels without designated local field camps.
• New Decision: District Election Officers (DEOs) must set up dedicated help desks and special camps specifically targeting homeless citizens, laborers, poor families, and residents of night shelters.

• IT Platform Governance and System Updates:

• Previous Practice: Updates to the ECINet portal and digital registration modules were executed based on direct feedback from State Chief Electoral Officers without a mandatory preliminary review board.
• New Decision: A committee led by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and an independent expert from IIT/IIIT will conduct a legal and security review of ECINet. All future IT modules and portal changes must now clear a dedicated Committee of Officers (COO) before Commission approval.

• Form 6 Declaration Rules:

• Previous Practice: Form 6 declarations linked to Special Intensive Revision were applied uniformly across all periods.
• New Decision: While the Form 6 declaration for SIR was upheld, standard forms under the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 will be strictly used during non-SIR continuous updation periods.

• Revision Deadlines for Key States:

• Previous Practice: Claims and objections deadlines were set under earlier state-level revision schedules.
• New Decision: For Delhi, the deadline for filing claims and objections is extended to 30 October 2026, with disposal extended to 30 November 2026. For Maharashtra, the filing window is extended to 12 October 2026, and disposal to 10 November 2026.

• Internal Governance and Meeting Protocols:

• Previous Practice: Internal meetings, foreign travel approvals, and performance reports operated without fixed statutory mandates.
• New Decision: Agendas must be circulated in advance, formal minutes issued for all meetings, Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) completed by 31 December annually, and prior Commission approval obtained for foreign travel by officers.

Commission Reaffirms Unanimity Amid Administrative Overhauls

Rebutting recent speculation regarding internal institutional friction, the ECI reiterated that all core policy decisions—including the nationwide SIR rollout spanning 32 States and Union Territories—were made with the unanimous consent of the entire Commission.

The panel clarified that internal notes and administrative queries represent standard operational checks within a multi-member constitutional body. It confirmed that administrative protocols have been updated, requiring advance circulation of meeting agendas, formal issuance of minutes, prior approval for foreign travel, and strict compliance with all Commissioner directions.