The Election Commission of India has issued a fresh work allocation order for its IT division.
It asks Director-General (IT) Seema Khanna to route her files through Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sharma.
The New Indian Express reported this.
ABP News said the order is dated November 4 and takes effect immediately.
The New Indian Express said it was issued on Wednesday.
The new order restores a layer of oversight. An earlier order, dated July 28, had removed it.
That order took away IT charge from Deputy Election Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and let Khanna report directly to the poll panel.
Two election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, objected.
After their objection, the July 28 order was put on hold, according to The New Indian Express.
Key points
- The EC issued a new order asking IT chief Seema Khanna to route files through Pawan Kumar Sharma.
- The new order restores oversight that a July 28 order had removed.
- Two commissioners objected, and the EC says the July 28 order was never implemented.
- Reports differ on whether the decisions were unanimous.
Why did two commissioners object?
Sandhu and Joshi wrote separately to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan on July 29.
They said Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg issued the orders without the poll body's approval.
The Commission gives a different view. It says the letter was not about any policy.
It concerned the work of an officer on deputation to the EC.
The reports also differ on how the decisions were taken.
ABP News reported that an EC official told NDTV the orders followed unanimous decisions of the Commission.
The official said there was no change in the reporting line.
What is the Commission saying now?
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the EC said the July 28 order was never implemented.
It cited a joint direction by the two commissioners, dated July 30.
The Commission also said internal work continued under an office order dated September 23, 2025.
- July 28Order removed IT charge from Deputy EC Sanjay Kumar and let Khanna report directly to the poll panel.
- July 29Sandhu and Joshi wrote to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan objecting to orders issued by Maneesh Garg.
- July 30Joint direction by the two commissioners, cited by the EC in its Supreme Court affidavit.
- September 23, 2025Office order under which internal IT work continued, according to the Commission.
- November 4Fresh order requires Khanna to route files through Senior Deputy EC Pawan Kumar Sharma.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
Its press note said oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never actually withdrawn.
So why does this matter? The dispute is about who controls the IT division of the body that runs India's elections.
The matter is now before the Supreme Court.
Explainer
What happened before
- An order dated July 28 relieved Deputy Election Commissioner Sanjay Kumar of IT charge and let the DG (IT) report directly to the poll panel.
- On July 29, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi wrote to the Cabinet Secretary, saying the orders lacked the poll body's approval.
Why it matters
The dispute is about who controls the IT division of the Election Commission, the body that conducts India's elections.
What to watch next
- The EC has told the Supreme Court that the July 28 order was never implemented.
- The sources do not say when the Supreme Court will decide the matter.
Exam Corner
UPSC GS Paper 2 · Polity: Election Commission
What's the news
The Election Commission issued a fresh work allocation order on its IT division. It requires IT chief Seema Khanna to route files through Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sharma.
Background
- The Election Commission has two other election commissioners apart from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- A July 28 order had let the IT chief report directly to the poll panel, but two commissioners objected.
- The matter is now before the Supreme Court, where the EC has filed an affidavit.
Facts for Prelims
- Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner of India.
- Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected to an earlier order.
- The EC's affidavit cites a joint direction by the two commissioners dated 30 July 2026.
Content for Mains
- Significance: Shows how internal control within a constitutional body can become a public dispute.
- Main issue: Disagreement among commissioners over who oversees the IT division.
- Challenges: Internal disputes may affect public trust in the working of an independent poll body.
- Way forward: Clear, documented work allocation rules and proper institutional processes for resolving disagreements.
Practice question: Discuss the need for clear internal work allocation and accountability within the Election Commission of India, in light of the recent dispute.
Prelims practice questions
Q1. Who is the Chief Election Commissioner mentioned in the context of the recent dispute?
- Pawan Kumar Sharma
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Maneesh Garg
- Sanjay Kumar
Show answer
Answer: B. The article says Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner, apart from the two other commissioners.
Q2. To whom did commissioners Sandhu and Joshi write on July 29?
- The Supreme Court registrar
- The Senior Deputy Election Commissioner
- The Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan
- The press office of the Election Commission
Show answer
Answer: C. The article states that both commissioners wrote separately to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan on July 29.
Key terms
- Work allocation order: An internal order that decides which officer handles which files and tasks.
- Deputy Election Commissioner: A senior officer of the Election Commission who oversees its divisions.
- Affidavit: A written statement made on oath that is filed in a court.
More stories for exam preparation: UPSC Today
These points come from this news report. Check them with standard sources such as NCERT books and PIB before your exam.
