Objected to, and carried forward
Each row is a measure the two commissioners objected to in writing, and what the Commission did afterwards. "Status" is what public reporting shows; the ECI disputes that any objection was overridden.
| Measure | Objection | What happened next | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders and letters in the ECI's name Issued without the full Commission's sign-off |
28 Oct 2025 · Sandhu 16 Apr 2026 · Sandhu 24 Apr 2026 · Joshi |
The same objection had to be raised again six months later, indicating the practice continued. | Continued |
| Centralised roll control EROs lose ERONet powers; ECINet launched 22 Jan 2026 |
From Nov 2025 · Deputy EC 2026 · Joshi ("gradual centralisation") |
ECINet went live and became the platform for SIR phases 2 and 3. | Under review since 26 Sep 2026 |
| Form 6 declaration and old-roll questions Mandatory online; parents' SIR details |
15 May 2026 · both 19 May 2026 · Sandhu 13 Aug 2026 · Sandhu |
Parents' SIR details became mandatory for new applicants from July 2026, after the May objection. A further question was added by August. | Extended Dropped for re-inclusion 29 Sep 2026 |
| Appeals against restored Bengal voters 16.1 lakh appeals challenging inclusion |
2026 · Sandhu (who authorised them?) | Appeals were filed and pending before tribunals; a petition says the two ECs and the state CEO weren't told. | Filed before the Supreme Court |
| IT-division oversight Work reallocation removing a review layer |
29 Jul 2026 · both, to the Cabinet Secretary | The ECI said the letter concerned an officer on deputation and was not a policy matter. | Unchanged no reversal reported |
| How the Commission meets No agenda or minutes; no full meeting May–Sep |
Recurring theme in the objections | After the exposé, the ECI announced agendas in advance and minutes for every meeting. | Changed 26 Sep 2026 |
Everything else in the term
Takes charge as CEC
The first CEC under the 2023 Act, appointed over the LoP's dissent and days before a scheduled Supreme Court hearing on the law.
Duplicate voter IDs and Aadhaar linking
Promises to fix duplicate EPIC numbers within three months and calls a high-level meeting with UIDAI and ministries on linking Aadhaar to voter IDs.
"21 initiatives in 100 days"
Booths capped at 1,200 voters, death records fed in from the Registrar General, mobile deposit at booths, party booths allowed at 100 m, BLO photo IDs, training for party agents and biometric attendance at headquarters.
Polling footage to be destroyed after 45 days
Unless an election petition is filed. The ECI cites misuse by non-contestants; critics call it destroying evidence.
Bihar SIR ordered
The first intensive revision since 2003, four months before Bihar's election. Later extended nationwide.
BLO pay doubled
Higher pay for Booth Level Officers and supervisors, plus a new incentive for SIR work and an honorarium for EROs.
808 dormant parties delisted
334 registered-but-unrecognised parties in August and 474 more in September, for not contesting in six years or not filing required details.
"Affidavit or apologise"
A rare ECI press conference giving Rahul Gandhi seven days to back his "vote chori" claims under oath, while defending the Bihar SIR.
Vice-Presidential election
Conducted by the Commission; C.P. Radhakrishnan elected.
Bihar election
The first poll on an SIR-revised roll. NDA wins 202 of 243.
International profile
Takes the chair of the International IDEA Council for 2026, then hosts a democracy conference in Delhi where the Commission launches ECINet and signs the Delhi Declaration.
Two removal notices in Parliament
The first ever against a CEC: 193 MPs in March, rejected on 6 April; a fresh 73-MP notice with nine charges, including "partisan asymmetry" in enforcing the Model Code, is pending.
Five-state elections
BJP wins West Bengal for the first time and keeps Assam and Puducherry; UDF wins Kerala; TVK is the largest party in Tamil Nadu.
Cited by Donald Trump
Trump quotes Kumar while praising India's photo-ID voting and pushing the US SAVE America Act, a week after Kumar met the US ambassador.
The dissent becomes public
Express investigation, joint ECI denial, Supreme Court notice with no interim relief, the Form 6 declaration dropped for re-inclusion, and street protests in Delhi.
Only seven of the fourteen objections are dated publicly, and the full nine charges of the April removal notice haven't been published. The ECI says it introduced "around 40 initiatives" but hasn't released a complete list. This page will need updating once the Supreme Court receives the Commission's files.