Congress Claims PM Narendra Modi Knew Of ECINet Access Row, Questions Election Commission Official's Continued IT Role

The Congress party has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being aware of changes to the Election Commission's ECINET software, following complaints from Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. These complaints were forwarded to the Department of Personnel and Training, which falls under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh suggested that the Prime Minister is aware of the situation and that it may be occurring under his direction. Ramesh also criticized the Election Commission for retaining an officer at the center of the dispute over the IT division's functioning and subsequently assigning the same individual to oversee the division, which had prompted objections from the two Election Commissioners.

According to Ramesh, the officer in question continued to hold a key position within the Election Commission despite the complaints, raising concerns about centralization of control over the electoral system. The IT division's access to the ECINET electoral-roll system has been a subject of contention, with reported differences among the three-member Election Commission regarding its functioning and transparency.

Ramesh alleged that the officer was given oversight responsibilities for the IT division in August, despite previous objections. The Congress party questioned the Election Commission's clarification statement released on September 26, 2026, alleging it was an attempt to conceal the true nature of the situation. The IT division's control over access to the electoral-roll database carries significant implications for the Election Commission's role and that of Electoral Registration Officers.