‘Exempt from RTI’, Says ECI on query seeking SIR software name, version

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has refused to divulge the details - name and version - of the software used to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to update and clean electoral rolls. In it's argument the ECI said, the information relates to “commercial confidence, trade secrets and intellectual property” and is exempt under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Amid criticism and allegations of irregularities in the roll revision exercise, the ECI further said “no new software has been developed or procured for the SIR exercise.” It also said that any inclusion or exclusion of an elector is decided by the electoral registration officers (EROs) “on the basis of facts and records.”

“The ERO of the concerned constituency is the statutory authority responsible for the preparation and revision of electoral roll of that constituency,” the poll panel said.

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The clarification was in response to an RTI application filed by MA Mujeeb Ayyub, a social activist based in Karimnagar, Telangana.

The RTI filed by Ayyub sought the name and version of software, application or AI platform used to detect errors or inconsistencies in voter data, among other queries.

What is Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

• SIR is an administrative exercise conducted under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, with the sole aim of updating and cleaning electoral rolls. It does not determine broader citizenship or ration card status
• During SIR, voter list is verified by Electoral registration officials, mostly through a house-to-house survey
• It helps updated records by adding names of those who are missing from the list
• Duplicate entries, deceased voters, and people who are no longer eligible can be removed after the prescribed procedure
• It also helps correct name, address and other voter related information