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6d ago

Election Commission Withholds Name of SIR Software Citing Trade Secrets

Withholding the software name under RTI exemptions has intensified political pressure, risking legal appeals and calls to halt the roll‑revision exercise.

Election Commission
Supporters of RWPI and other organisations hold placards and raise slogans during a protest march towards Jantar Mantar demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the SIR, in New Delhi, last month.
The ECI has also banned computer assistants from feeding forms related to the electoral rolls
An enumerator uploads documents of an applicant registering for the Draft Electoral Roll 2026 as part of the ECI's SIR.

Overview

  • The ECI told an RTI applicant in a reply dated October 16 that it will not disclose the name or version of the software used in the Special Intensive Revision because the details fall under commercial confidence and trade‑secret exemptions.
  • The commission invoked Sections 8(1)(d) and 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act and said no new software was developed or procured for SIR while stressing that local Electoral Registration Officers make final inclusion and exclusion decisions.
  • Opposition leaders, led by Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh, say the secrecy points to ‘centralised manipulation’, demand suspension of SIR and want Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar removed.
  • Reporting has documented internal ECI dissent, with two election commissioners recording at least 14 written objections about IT controls and access, and critics note Tata Consultancy Services disclosed development work on ECINET that ECI did not publicly explain.
  • The RTI applicant has been advised to appeal and experts say the decision could prompt legal challenges, continued protests and further calls for transparency because the SIR has already removed large numbers of names from voter rolls.