Election Commission Extends Voter Roll Deadlines Amid Internal Dissent

The Election Commission of India extended the deadlines for filing claims and objections regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi and Maharashtra on September 26, 2026. In Delhi, the filing deadline is now October 30, with disposal set for November 30. In Maharashtra, the filing deadline is October 12, with disposal by November 10 and final publication extended to November 16.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar chaired the meeting to relax SIR provisions, allowing Booth Level Officers to collect documents from voters' homes and permitting online hearings for those with logical discrepancies. These changes aim to reduce hardship for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The Commission is also reviewing updates to its ECINET system to further exempt voters from physical hearings if valid documentation is provided.

These administrative shifts follow reports of internal conflict. An investigation alleged that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi repeatedly objected to voter registration processes and IT oversight over a 10-month period. While the Commission maintains that the SIR order was issued with unanimous approval and has been upheld by the Supreme Court of India, the Indian National Congress has urged the court to take suo motu notice of the changes. Rahul Gandhi alleged the electoral process had been compromised, stating that if the vote is destroyed, the Constitution is destroyed.