EC provides link to SIR guidelines in response to RTI query on appraisal for the exercise; adds ‘further, no information available’ | India News

NEW DELHI: In response to queries raised under the Right To Information (RTI) Act seeking copies of the independent appraisal undertaken based on which the Election Commission of India decided to initiate a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country this year, and related files on the decision, the commission has simply shared a link to the guidelines on SIR dated June 24, 2025, saying that “further, no information in this regard is available”.Sharing screenshots of the RTI responses to her queries, transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj, in a post on X, said, “Shocking replies from the Election Commission to RTI queries. No files exist on how decision to undertake nationwide SIR was processed and approved by ECI.” She pointed out that going by the response from the commission there is no record of the “independent appraisal” which ECI had claimed in its affidavit as the basis for SIR.“When asked for copy of orders/guidelines of Bihar’s 2003 roll revision, ECI provides 2025 order! What is ECI hiding?” she asked.In her RTI application dated July 28, Bhardwaj had asked the EC to provide a copy of any independent appraisal/study/analysis undertaken based on which ECI decided to initiate SIR across the country in 2025. She also asked for the reference number and copies of all files on the decision and sought time to inspect these files.In the response from EC dated Aug 27, the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) simply stated, “You may refer to Commission’s guidelines dated June 24, 2025 which is self- explanatory and available on the Commission’s website.” He also shared a link to the guidelines in the response. He then said, “Further, no information in this regard is available in the Commission”.In another RTI application dated July 28, Bhardwaj asked for the order or notification vide which the intensive revision of electoral rolls was carried out for Bihar in 2003. She also sought a copy of the guidelines of 2003 which specify the manner and procedure of revisions, the prescribed forms and the list of documents required to be furnished.In response, the CPIO just shared the link to the June-24, 2025 guidelines of the EC regarding the SIR.