<p>The Cabinet Secretariat did not initiate action on complaints by two Election Commissioners against a senior Election Commission (EC) official, citing the absence of a formal communication from the poll body as a whole, documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act show. The complaints, submitted separately by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, concerned the functioning of Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg. The matter came to light through documents released in response to an RTI application, according to news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).</p>
<h3>Why The Cabinet Secretariat Did Not Act</h3>
<p>Sandhu and Joshi wrote to Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan on July 29, raising concerns over changes to the allocation of responsibilities among senior officials in the Election Commission.</p>
<p>The Commissioners alleged that Garg had modified work assignments involving senior deputy election commissioners, deputy election commissioners, directors general and officers of equivalent rank without consulting the Commission or the officials concerned.</p>
<p>The Cabinet Secretariat took the view that acting on individual letters without an official communication representing the entire Commission could be inappropriate and potentially be seen as interference in the functioning of a constitutional body.</p>
<h3>What The RTI Documents Reveal</h3>
<p>The details emerged from an RTI application filed by activist Commodore Lokesh K Batra (retd). The Cabinet Secretariat's note acknowledged the seriousness of the complaints but distinguished between representations made by individual Commissioners and formal communications issued by the institution.</p>
<p>“The above communications are from the ECs in their individual capacity and, while they must be taken with due seriousness, they cannot be seen as a formal communication from the Commission as a whole,” the note said.</p>
<p>The Secretariat recommended acknowledging both letters and forwarding a copy to the Chief Election Commissioner's principal private secretary for information. It also recorded the matter for consideration in future decisions concerning Garg.</p>
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<h3>Concerns Over Control Of Voter Records</h3>
<p>A September report by The Indian Express said the Commissioners' objections followed internal orders changing work allocations. They were concerned that the proposed arrangement could concentrate powers at the EC headquarters to insert, delete and modify voter records, functions that they believed should remain with state-level authorities.</p>
<p>The concerns placed the distribution of administrative responsibilities and control over voter data at the centre of the dispute.</p>
<h3>Election Commission Says Directives Were Not Implemented</h3>
<p>In a clarification issued on September 26, the EC said the contested work-allocation directives drafted by Garg were never implemented after the two Commissioners issued instructions to that effect.</p>
<p>The Commission also maintained that the letters to the Cabinet Secretary concerned an officer on deputation, rather than internal policy or the functioning of its information technology division.</p>
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<h3>Commissioners Cite 2023 Law</h3>
<p>Sandhu and Joshi further alleged that Garg proceeded despite repeated verbal and written directions against making structural changes without prior discussion or approval from the Commission.</p>
<p>Joshi also said that the Administration Division did not provide him with the relevant file when he sought access to it.</p>
<p>The Commissioners argued that the changes violated the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. </p>
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