SUPREME COURT TO EXAMINE CHALLENGE TO ECI’S FUNCTIONING AMID INTERNAL OBJECTIONS

September 29, 2026

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear next week a petition questioning the manner in which the Election Commission of India’s powers have allegedly been exercised in connection with electoral-roll decisions and the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

The petition raises questions over whether the Chief Election Commissioner can exercise or represent powers vested in the multi-member Election Commission without the approval of the other Election Commissioners. It relies on reported objections recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on several decisions and orders.

According to the petition, the two commissioners raised objections on at least 14 occasions between late 2025 and August 2026. The issues cited include changes to voter-registration procedures, electoral-roll data management and other administrative decisions connected with the revision process. These allegations will now be examined through the judicial proceedings and have not been established as findings of the court.

The plea invokes Article 324 of the Constitution and the 2023 law governing the appointment and service conditions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. It argues that electoral powers are vested in the Commission as a collective body and seeks judicial directions concerning its decision-making process.

The Election Commission has maintained that differences of opinion, written observations and internal objections are part of the deliberative process within a multi-member constitutional body. It has also said that its final decisions, including those concerning the SIR exercise, were taken in accordance with established procedures.

The Supreme Court’s forthcoming hearing is therefore expected to consider the legal framework governing collective decision-making within the poll panel and the issues raised by the petition.