‘To hide roll manipulation’: Cong questions EC over withholding ECINET details

The Congress party has accused the Election Commission (EC) of attempting to conceal evidence of "centralized manipulation" in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This criticism comes after the EC repeatedly declined to disclose details about the ECINET software used in the process. Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh highlighted a report by The Hindustan Times that revealed the EC's refusal to name the software version, citing "commercial confidence, trade secrets, and intellectual property" as reasons for withholding information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Ramesh expressed deep dissatisfaction with the EC's lack of transparency, stating that the public's awareness of the ECINET software—developed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)—came only after the company revealed it. He questioned why the EC had denied using AI in the SIR exercise, given that The Indian Express had reported the technology's involvement.

Ramesh cited protests in Delhi and nationwide, calling for EC Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and a suspension of the SIR exercise. The EC responded, stating that dissenting opinions were common in any institution and that its actions complied with established procedures.