Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, 26 September described reports of internal differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) as a 'catastrophic assault' on Indian democracy, calling on all citizens — including members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — to unite against what he termed a fundamental threat to the country's electoral integrity.

Tharoor's Core Allegations

Speaking to reporters in Kozhikode, Kerala, Tharoor said: 'This is an incredibly grave assault on the functioning of Indian democracy.' He alleged that a large number of Indian citizens had been deprived of their democratic right to vote, 'apparently based on many irregularities, including an illegal modification of Form 6 requiring data that has not been required in the past.'

The Congress leader further alleged that changes had been made within the ECI 'without the consent of two of the three Election Commissioners, which itself is a violation of the procedures of the Election Commission.' These claims follow a report by a leading newspaper that alleged key decisions were being taken within the poll body allegedly without the knowledge of the two Election Commissioners.

The ECINet Software Controversy

Tharoor specifically flagged concerns over the ECINet software, which media reports indicate had blocked access to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) on the ground. He cited the case of Goa, where he claimed 97 people had reportedly been denied not only their voting rights but also access to dialysis treatment and other medical assistance as a downstream consequence of the software issue.

'Shockingly, we are seeing software that has been imposed over the heads of the electoral officers,' Tharoor said. He described the matter as 'not anything minor or routine; it's not political, it's not administrative. It is a fundamentally untenable, catastrophic assault on our democracy.'

ECI's Response

The Election Commission of India issued a press release on Saturday afternoon following an internal meeting, seeking to quell reports of differences among its members and clarifying the context in which ECI functionaries had written a letter to the Cabinet Secretary. The Commission did not directly address all the allegations raised by opposition leaders.

Congress's Next Steps

Tharoor confirmed that the Congress Working Committee has called a meeting on 29 September to deliberate on the issue. 'I'll be going there to Delhi for that,' he said. He also made a pointed appeal across party lines: 'I feel that on this matter every citizen of India, even members of the BJP, should be united with us. Our democracy is larger than any individual, any party. It's for everyone to defend.'

The ECI row has raised broader questions about the institutional independence of India's poll body. This comes amid heightened scrutiny of electoral roll management practices ahead of upcoming state elections. How the Commission responds to the growing political pressure — and whether an independent audit of the ECINet rollout is ordered — will be closely watched in the days ahead.