Rajdeep Chakraborty

FROM UNVERIFIED ALLEGATIONS TO A MISLEADING “U-TURN” NARRATIVE! The Indian Express published a report on 23 September 2026 raising 14 points about the Election Commission of India. Now, it is portraying subsequent voter-friendly initiatives as supposed reversals of earlier decisions. But the two issues are entirely different. The report questioned unanimous decision-making within the Commission. Yet, all three SIR orders were unanimously approved by the Chief Election Commissioner and both Election Commissioners. Questions, observations and suggestions recorded during file processing cannot automatically be presented as evidence of disagreement over final decisions. Meanwhile, the ECI has continued strengthening the electoral process through several voter-first measures: ✅ Form 6 remains unchanged. The separate declaration applies during SIR, while regular Form 6 requirements continue during non-SIR periods. ✅ Special enrolment camps facilitate registration of eligible citizens. ✅ Additional verification of SIR deletions helps ensure that eligible electors are not excluded. ✅ An ECINET review committee provides additional oversight for effective and legally compliant functioning. ✅ Special Summary Revision continues as a routine annual exercise. ✅ Doorstep collection of documents by BLOs makes the notice-hearing process easier for voters. ✅ Safeguards against bulk Form 7 objections aim to prevent wrongful applications. Now comes the obvious question: Which of these measures reverses an earlier Commission decision? And how are they connected to the 14 points raised by The Indian Express? Improving voter convenience is not an admission of wrongdoing. Strengthening safeguards is not a policy reversal. Continuing routine electoral roll revision is certainly not a U-turn. The newspaper's interpretation should not be confused with evidence of a connection between its allegations and these initiatives. ECI's objective remains clear: greater transparency, easier enrolment and inclusion of every eligible elector. SEVEN VOTER-FIRST INITIATIVES. ONE DIRECTION: FORWARD.