Congress accuses Election Commission of withholding software details and demands suspension of electoral roll revision

NEW DELHI — The Congress party has accused the Election Commission of India of withholding critical information regarding the ECINET software used in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, alleging that the secrecy is intended to conceal centralized electoral manipulation.

The political confrontation intensified following disclosures that the poll body declined an RTI application seeking details on the software version and potential artificial intelligence usage. In response to the queries, the Election Commission stated that the requested information pertained to commercial confidence, trade secrets, and intellectual property, rendering it exempt from disclosure under the Right to Information Act.

The dispute centers on the Special Intensive Revision process, an administrative exercise utilizing the ECINET software—developed by Tata Consultancy Services—to identify errors and anomalies in voter lists.

In light of the development, the Congress reiterated demands for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for the immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision.

“Using flimsy excuses, the ECI has refused to name the software being used in the SIR, or confirm whether AI is being used and what safeguards are in place,” the party stated, adding that “Gyanesh Kumar must go. The SIR must be suspended forthwith.”

Internal friction within the commission has also drawn public scrutiny. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months concerning decisions and orders predominantly tied to the revision process.

Addressing the internal disagreements, the Election Commission maintained that differing views and observations are a standard part of institutional deliberations, emphasizing that all issued orders possess full legal sanction and adhere to established statutory procedures.