The Election Commission of India (ECI) has refused to disclose the name and version of the software it uses to flag errors in voter rolls during its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, after an RTI request filed by activist MA Mujeeb Ayyub on July 27.
The SIR exercise, a nationwide audit begun in 2018, cross‑checks voter lists against census records to eliminate duplicates and errors before elections.
Under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, information that is commercially sensitive can be withheld; the commission argued that the software falls under this exemption as it is a trade secret.
Ayyub, who has been lobbying for greater electoral transparency, demanded the commission provide an alternative overview of the algorithm’s impact, saying the move stifles public scrutiny.
The commission has said it will not appeal the decision, while Ayyub has filed a petition with the Delhi High Court to compel disclosure.