Cong. Accuses EC Of Concealing Software Details In SIR
The Congress on Sunday accused the Election Commission of withholding information about software: Reports
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday accused the Election Commission of withholding information about software used during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the lack of transparency was intended to conceal large-scale manipulation.
The Opposition party renewed its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the immediate suspension of the SIR exercise.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh cited a media report stating that the Election Commission had refused to disclose the name and version of software used to identify errors and anomalies in electoral rolls.
According to the report, the poll panel cited provisions of the Right to Information Act concerning commercial confidence, trade secrets and intellectual property to deny the information.
In a post on X, Ramesh alleged that the EC was withholding details of the ECINET software, which he claimed had been used to centralise manipulation of electoral rolls.
He questioned why the Commission had not disclosed whether artificial intelligence was being used during the revision exercise and what safeguards were in place.
Ramesh said the lack of transparency surrounding the software and the alleged use of AI had damaged public confidence in the process.
He also questioned why details of Tata Consultancy Services' involvement in developing ECINET had emerged through the company's disclosures rather than from the Commission.
Referring to objections reportedly raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi concerning the EC's IT division and software, Ramesh said the issues had also reached the Department of Personnel and Training.
"The public knows that massive manipulation has taken place. Gyanesh Kumar must go. The SIR must be suspended forthwith," he said.
