ECINET designed to centralise changes from BJP HQ: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged the ECINET system was designed to centralise voter list additions/deletions from BJP HQ. He claimed the ECI ignored a researcher's warnings and violated election laws, vowing accountability from the INDIA bloc.

Ramesh Alleges ECINET Designed for BJP HQ

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday alleged that the ECINET system was designed to centralise additions and deletions from the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. In a post on X, Ramesh referred to a report published by a leading daily, claiming that a security researcher had brought several flaws in ECINET to the Election Commission’s attention on July 8, 2026, but that the acknowledgement of one of his concerns came only on October 6.

“A leading daily reports this morning that on July 8, 2026, a security researcher had brought several flaws in ECINET to the attention of the Election Commission. But acknowledgement of one of his several concerns came only on Oct 6, 2026, when the ECI was under all-round fire and attack. It is becoming abundantly clear that ECINET was designed to centralise all deletions/additions from BJP HQs in New Delhi,” Ramesh said.

Ramesh further claimed that the security researcher was the same person who had exposed flaws in the CBSE’s IT system a few months ago. “Incidentally, this researcher is the same young man who had completely exposed the CBSE’s IT system a few months back that had, among other things, sealed the fate of Mantri Pradhan. It is now the turn of Pradhan Mantri,” he said.

ECI Violated Laws, Claims Congress

Earlier on Friday, Ramesh targeted the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its order of appointing a committee to review ECINET to ensure compliance with relevant acts and rules, asserting that the commission's claim of ECINET development in strict accordance with the law and the Indian Constitution is a "lie."

In a post on X, the Congress leader alleged that the decisions of the ECI wouldn't have come under doubt at all in the first place if the intentions of CEC Gyanesh Kumar were honest. "In its damage control but actually damage-enhancing Press Note on September 26, 2026, the Election Commission of India had promised a committee to certify that the legally suspect ECINet 'complies with the provisions of the Acts and Rules'. In reality, this should never have been in doubt at all in the first place if the intentions of the CEC Gyanesh Kumar were honest—which they were not. ECINet was launched on January 22, 2026 with much fanfare to 'enhance transparency, credibility and public trust '. The ECI Press Note of that day assured the country that it 'has been developed in strict accordance with the law' and in full compliance with the Constitution of India, the Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951, and Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. All of this was a lie," said Jairam Ramesh.

The Congress leader further alleged that the ECI violated the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 by restricting the access of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to the ECINet voter roll system and by overruling EROs in states such as Goa, West Bengal, etc. "By restricting access of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to the ECINet voter roll system and by overruling EROs in states like Goa, West Bengal and others, the ECI controlled by the CEC has violated The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Both these laws establish that the ERO has statutory authority over the electoral roll," said Ramesh.

INDIA Bloc Demands Accountability

He further declared that the INDIA bloc will demand accountability for these violations of the law and the Constitution. "After the revelations last week, the Maharashtra CEO wrote to the ECI on September 24, 2026, asking for a correction of this illegal state of affairs. Starting today, the INDIA janbandhan, citizens and many civil society organisations will hit the streets across the country demanding accountability for these violations of the law and the Constitution," added Ramesh.

ECI Forms Committee to Review System

Ramesh's remarks came after the Election Commission of India (ECI), in its September 26 meeting, decided that field officers have role-based access to the ECINET system as per their statutory powers. ECI also decided that a committee, headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC), will review the ECINET to double-check that it complies with the provisions of the Acts and Rules and submit a report to the Commission. (ANI)

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