Sri Vijaya Puram:
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Andaman & Nicobar Islands State President Dr. Arun Malik addressed a press conference raising concerns over reported disagreements within the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding electoral-roll procedures and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Malik referred to an investigation published by The Indian Express concerning objections reportedly recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over various decisions relating to voter registration, electoral-roll deletions and the ECI's technology systems.

The Indian Express reported that the two Election Commissioners had raised objections on record on multiple occasions over a 10-month period, including concerns related to Form 6, voter deletions and centralised control of electoral-roll software. The Indian Express

Reported Objections Within the Election Commission

During the press conference, Malik discussed what he described as five important findings from the Indian Express investigation.

He referred to reported differences among the three members of the Election Commission concerning decisions connected with the electoral-roll revision process. According to the Indian Express report, two Election Commissioners had formally recorded objections on 14 occasions between November 2025 and September 2026. The Indian Express

The Election Commission, however, responded that differing views are part of its decision-making process and stated that decisions taken during the period were unanimous. The Commission did not dispute the existence of the notes cited in the investigation. The Indian Express

Form 6 and Electoral Roll Software

Malik also raised concerns about changes reportedly made to Form 6, which is used for new voter registration.

The Indian Express investigation reported objections from Election Commissioners regarding changes to the voter registration process and concerns about the legal basis for some of those changes. The Indian Express

The press conference also discussed ECINET, the ECI's electoral-roll technology system. Malik alleged that greater centralisation of the system could limit the ability of local election officials to process voter-related decisions.

The Indian Express separately reported a case in Goa involving 97 voters whose cases had been cleared by Electoral Registration Officers but whose names were not included in the final roll at that stage. The Goa Chief Electoral Officer subsequently said many of those cases had since been enrolled and the remaining cases were being processed. The Indian Express

Concerns Raised About Andaman & Nicobar

Turning to the Islands, Malik raised concerns about the impact of SIR and electoral-roll changes on voters in Andaman & Nicobar.

He cited figures during the press conference which he said indicated a significant percentage reduction in the Island's electoral roll. These figures are claims made by Malik during the briefing and have not been independently verified by Dweep Tulika. Pasted text

Malik also questioned whether all applications and requests relating to voter registration had been properly reflected in the electoral rolls.

He referred to Form 6 applications and urged residents who believe their names may have been affected to check their status with the concerned electoral authorities. Pasted text

Appeal to Residents to Check Voter Status

One of the key messages of the press conference was an appeal to residents to verify their names in the electoral roll.

Malik asked residents to contact their Booth Level Officer (BLO) and confirm whether their names are present in the voter list. He said residents who find discrepancies should seek clarification rather than assuming that their names remain on the roll. Pasted text

The appeal comes amid wider national debate over electoral-roll revisions and the treatment of voters whose names are missing or whose applications have not been reflected in the rolls.

AAP Calls for Investigation and Suspension

Malik said the AAP's position is that the reported issues surrounding the electoral-roll revision process require investigation.

He called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to be suspended and investigated, and also demanded that the ongoing SIR process be stopped. He said the AAP would continue to pursue the issue at the national level. Pasted text

These are demands and allegations made by the AAP and its state president; they should not be treated as established findings against the Election Commission or any individual.

AAP Also Raises Other Local Issues

Towards the conclusion of the briefing, Malik and his colleagues discussed other regional issues, including the role of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and local administrative matters.

Malik said the AAP would continue to raise local public issues before the administration and referred to instances where, according to the party, representations and visits had been followed by administrative action. These statements were presented by the speakers as examples of their political and public-engagement activities. Pasted text

What Residents Are Being Asked to Do

For residents concerned about their electoral-roll status, the immediate appeal made during the press conference was straightforward:

  • Check whether your name appears in the current electoral roll.
  • Contact your assigned BLO if you cannot find your name or notice an error.
  • Verify the status of any voter-registration application you have submitted.
  • Seek clarification from the appropriate election authorities regarding discrepancies.

Editorial Note: This report distinguishes between the findings reported by The Indian Express, the Election Commission's response, and allegations or claims made by AAP representatives. Figures and allegations concerning voter deletions in Andaman & Nicobar cited during the press conference are statements made by the speaker and have not been independently verified by Dweep Tulika. The Election Commission has stated that differing views are part of its decision-making process and that its decisions were unanimous. The Indian Express

Source: Dweep Tulika News — AAP Press Conference, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.