The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a fresh work-allocation order establishing high-level supervisory checks over its top IT official and restructuring operational responsibilities, coming in the wake of escalating controversies around digital voter roll access and internal dissent within the poll panel.
The November 4, 2026 order places Director General of IT Seema Khanna under the direct supervision of Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sharma. Under the revised directive, Khanna will clear all files regarding IT, ICT, and Public Grievance Redressal Systems (PGRS) through Sharma.
Key Administrative Shifts & Structural Oversight
The new directive restructures administrative file movements across several key departments:
- IT & Grievance Redressal: Seema Khanna, who sits at the center of allegations concerning the centralisation of digital voter rolls, will operate under the explicit oversight of Sr DEC Pawan Kumar Sharma.
- Election Planning & EVMs: Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg retains election planning, EVMs, and the Election Database Management Division, but will now be supported by Deputy Election Commissioner Prakash Rajpurohit.
- Electoral Rolls & RTI: Deputy Election Commissioner Bhanu Prakash Yeturu handles administration, establishment, electoral rolls, and RTI matters.
Background: The July Work Order and Internal Rift
The fresh structural order follows months of scrutiny stemming from an unprecedented communication sent by Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan in July 2026:
- Procedural Concerns: The commissioners expressed strong objections over a July 28 work order issued by Maneesh Garg without prior consultation, which altered file-routing procedures for the IT division.
- ECI Stand in Apex Court: The ECI recently informed the Supreme Court via an affidavit that the July 28 order was recalled within two days and was never implemented.
- Voter Roll Data Controversy: The administrative shifts come amid widespread public debates and political demonstrations regarding digital voter roll protocols and accessibility limits for field-level Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) during voter enrolment drives.
ECI officials emphasized that the latest directive reflects a unanimous consensus across the full bench to streamline administration and ensure transparent operational checks.
