IndiaPosted at: Oct 25 2026 4:10PM


Congress demands ECINET disclosure, calls for SIR suspension and Gyanesh Kumar’s removal

New Delhi, Oct 25 (UNI) Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on Sunday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of withholding crucial information about its ECINET software and the alleged use of artificial intelligence in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding that the exercise be suspended immediately and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be removed. He said the poll body's refusal to disclose details about the technology being deployed had raised serious questions about transparency, accountability and the integrity of the electoral roll revision process.
In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh alleged that the Election Commission had declined to provide information sought through a Right to Information (RTI) application, including the name of the software used in the SIR, whether artificial intelligence was being deployed and the safeguards in place to prevent errors or misuse.
“The Election Commission of India continues to hide information about the controversial ECINET software at the heart of the disastrous SIR, that has been used to centralise manipulation of the electoral rolls,” Ramesh said, accusing the Commission of relying on what he described as “flimsy excuses” to deny access to information sought under the RTI framework.
His remarks followed a report in a leading national daily that the ECI had refused to provide the requested details. Ramesh argued that the lack of clear disclosures about the technology underpinning the electoral roll revision had fuelled doubts about the process and weakened public confidence in the Commission's functioning.
He also questioned why the ECI had not transparently disclosed the role of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in developing ECINET, arguing that the company's involvement had come to light through disclosures rather than an explicit announcement by the poll body.
“Why did Indians find out from disclosures of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) that they developed the ECINET software? Why has this not been transparently disclosed by the ECI?” he asked.
Ramesh further challenged the Commission's position on the use of artificial intelligence in electoral roll revision. “Why has the ECI repeatedly denied the use of AI in the SIR and electoral roll revision, when it is clearly being used?” he said, alleging a contradiction between the ECI's public position and the technology being employed.
The controversy centres on the use of digital systems in preparing and revising electoral rolls, a process that determines citizens' eligibility to exercise their voting rights. Technology can help identify duplicate entries, detect discrepancies and process large volumes of electoral data, but the criteria used to flag entries, the scope of automated decision-making and the availability of independent verification remain important questions for electoral transparency.
The Congress has repeatedly questioned the conduct of the SIR, warning that inadequate safeguards and ineffective verification procedures could result in eligible voters being excluded from electoral rolls. The party has called for greater transparency, accessible correction mechanisms and effective checks to ensure that genuine voters are not deprived of their franchise. The exercise has emerged as a major political flashpoint, with opposition parties demanding greater accountability from the Election Commission.
Ramesh also alleged that concerns about ECINET and the ECI's information technology division had been raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. He claimed that the objections had reached the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which functions under the union government, arguing that the issues surrounding the software and the Commission's IT operations warranted public scrutiny.
“The public knows that massive manipulation has taken place. Gyanesh Kumar must go. The SIR must be suspended forthwith,” Ramesh said, reiterating the Congress's demand for the Chief Election Commissioner's removal and an immediate halt to the electoral roll revision exercise.
The allegations have placed the spotlight on the ECI's willingness to disclose details about ECINET, clarify whether and how automated tools or AI-assisted systems are being used in the SIR, and explain the safeguards governing their operation. The central issues extend beyond the software itself to the transparency of decisions affecting voters, the role of human verification and the remedies available to those who believe their names have been wrongly deleted or their electoral details altered.
The Congress is seeking to turn transparency in electoral roll management into a central political issue, arguing that public confidence in elections depends on the Election Commission providing clear answers about the systems it uses. The controversy is likely to sharpen the confrontation between the opposition and the poll body over the SIR, even as the allegations and questions raised by Ramesh remain matters on which the Commission's detailed response would be significant. UNI SKA AAB
Tags: #Congress demands ECINET disclosure# calls for SIR suspension and Gyanesh Kumar’s removal
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