NEW DELHI, SEPT 25: Administrative practices and digital access protocols within the Election Commission of India have come under internal review following communication from Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi regarding recent management decisions. The developments focus on the roles of Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg and Director General (IT) Seema Khanna in managing core systems and administrative updates.
Disagreements surfaced during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, where concerns were articulated regarding the centralisation of the ECINet system. Officials pointed out that field-level Electoral Registration Officers faced limitations while attempting to utilize the platform for routine registration duties. SS Sandhu affirmed the importance of preserving the statutory authority and full system access guaranteed to electoral officers under current legal guidelines.
Khanna, who heads the IT vertical responsible for technical infrastructure like ECINet, brings extensive experience from her previous position at the National Informatics Centre. Her earlier assignments with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology included participation in the rollout of nationwide digital initiatives such as the Aarogya Setu application.
The debate further extends to structural adjustments within the commission’s secretariat. Maneesh Garg, who holds central deputation in the poll panel through 2028, faced queries regarding modifications to officer work distributions executed after taking charge of administrative affairs. The changes prompted separate written communications from the Election Commissioners to the Cabinet Secretary requesting a review of the administrative steps taken.
Garg’s administrative background includes service as Divisional Commissioner in Dharamshala and Shimla, a seven-year tenure as Joint Secretary in the Union Education Ministry, and direct electoral management as Chief Electoral Officer of Himachal Pradesh prior to his current central posting.
