Challenges to Election Commission of India conduct

A coalition of over 2,000 citizens, including academics, activists, and retired judges, has petitioned Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for judicial intervention regarding the Election Commission of India (ECI). The petitioners seek a review of the Special Intensive Revision exercise and the deployment of ECINet software, alleging “arbitrary and unauthorized changes to voter registration software.” They have requested a security audit to ensure local Electoral Registration Officers maintain decentralized control over electoral databases.

In a parallel effort, prominent figures have urged opposition parties to pursue parliamentary action to address concerns over voter deletions and institutional opacity.

Concurrently, legal challenges have reached the Bombay High Court. A writ petition filed by Advocate Asim Sarode seeks to challenge 14 administrative orders issued by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The petition alleges these orders were issued despite objections from fellow Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi regarding voter registration and database management. However, the Kolhapur bench of the Bombay High Court has denied a request for an urgent hearing, citing its current workload.