Opinions may vary, final decisions unanimous: EC downplays dissent report

The Election Commission rejected reports of dissent over the nationwide SIR, saying individual views did not constitute decisions and all Commission decisions were taken unanimously.

The Election Commission on Wednesday sought to downplay the reports of dissent within the three-member panel over the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying individual views expressed by Election Commissioners do not constitute decisions of the Commission. Sources said all decisions of the Commission, including those related to the SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of all three Election Commissioners.

"While any or both Election Commissioners, or the Chief Election Commissioner, may have individual opinions on any matter, all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including the SIR, have been taken unanimously and with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner," Election Commission sources told India Today TV.

The clarification came after an Indian Express report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected to decisions and orders issued during the SIR exercise on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months.The report sparked a major political row, with Opposition parties seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention.

Responding to queries on the report, EC sources said the two Election Commissioners had indeed flagged issues relating to the deletion of names in various states during the electoral roll cleanup, as well as matters concerning the handling of the voter database. However, sources maintained that these instances should not be construed as dissent within the Commission over the SIR.

"Since the brain is human, not a computer, differences in opinion are natural. But by coordinating and reaching consensus, things move forward," the EC sources said.

The sources also stressed that all decisions of the Election Commission were taken unanimously and with the approval of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and both Election Commissioners.

Commission sources also said differences of opinion were a natural part of the democratic process. "However, over the past 14 months, there have been hundreds of instances where, despite initial differences, consensus was eventually reached and several reform measures were undertaken. This consensus is reflected in hundreds of confidential documents signed by all three Commissioners," the sources added.

Commission sources also denied allegations of any central interference in the system, saying there is a single system for the entire country into which all Electoral Officers feed data. They said no complaints of interference have been received so far, despite officials having different ideological leanings, the sources added.

- Ends