Overview
- The Election Commission replied to an RTI request dated October 16 by refusing to disclose the name or version of the ECINET software and citing RTI exemptions for commercial confidence and safety.
- In the same reply the ECI said no new software was procured for the Special Intensive Revision and that Electoral Registration Officers make final inclusion or exclusion decisions based on records.
- Opposition leaders, led by the Congress, say the secrecy points to centralised manipulation and have demanded suspension of the SIR and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while planning mass protests.
- The ECI has introduced oversight steps after the SIR, ordering mandatory scrutiny of post‑SIR additions and deletions in Uttar Pradesh and banning computer assistants from feeding electoral forms.
- The row follows reporting that two election commissioners filed written dissents and disclosures that TCS developed ECINET; the RTI applicant has said he will appeal and further legal and political scrutiny is expected.