{
  "id": 10688217,
  "title": "ECINet row: Maharashtra CEO seeks ERO powers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/ecinet-row-maharashtra-ceo-seeks-ero-powers",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-29T11:49:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ecinet-row-maharashtra-chief-electoral-officer-s-chockalingam-seeks-ero-powers-congress-targets-cec/articleshow/134565072.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam has requested alterations to the ECINet software to grant Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) greater discretion in handling discrepancies within electoral rolls. The Maharashtra government submitted this proposal on September 24 to the Election Commission via a letter, which was subsequently accepted. The request calls for EROs to have the authority to make decisions on notices related to discrepancies without the entire process being determined by the software. This proposal also includes an option to exempt voters from personal hearings when EROs find submitted documents sufficient. Additionally, the revised guidelines stipulate that voters receiving notices for unmapped entries or logical discrepancies will not be required to attend hearings. Instead, Booth-level officers will gather supporting documents and upload them onto ECINET for EROs to review, with hearings held only in exceptional cases and, where possible, conducted online. The need for these changes stems from the high volume of notices generated during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. In Maharashtra alone, 2.07 crore voters had their enumeration forms either not collected or marked as absent, deceased, shifted, or duplicate entries. The letter also pointed out logical discrepancies, such as inconsistencies in parents' names or age details. This issue generated 1.22 crore notices, involving 62.48 lakh logical discrepancies and 59.75 lakh unmapped electors. On the first day of hearings in Pune, many voters arrived at SIR centers assuming personal attendance was mandatory, but an ERO confirmed that no hearings were held under the new guidelines on that day; officials instead collected documents for review. Documents can now be submitted through Booth-level officers, directly to election officials, or via messaging platforms like WhatsApp. The Maharashtra CEO's office cited Rule 20(3) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which permits EROs to decide if an elector's personal appearance is necessary. The Congress party has criticized these changes, arguing that they dilute the statutory powers of EROs to determine voter eligibility. The party has demanded Chockalingam's resignation, accusing him of taking authority away from the software.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}