The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a fresh work allocation order dated November 4, the first such formal order since a controversy over the redistribution of responsibilities in July triggered
objections from Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
News18 India has accessed the latest work allocation order, which assumes significance as it formalises the distribution of administrative, IT and grievance-related responsibilities within the commission following the dispute over the July 28 order.
The earlier order had triggered objections from both Election Commissioners, who questioned the manner in which responsibilities had been reassigned. Following the development, the two commissioners wrote separate letters to the Cabinet Secretary on July 29, flagging concerns over the distribution of work, the work roster and the process through which the order was issued.
At the centre of the controversy was the allocation of IT and Grievances/Public Grievance Redressal System (PGRS) responsibilities. Under the previous arrangement, these portfolios were handled by Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) Sanjay Kumar, with Director General (IT) Seema Khanna reporting to him.
However, the July 28 work order transferred IT and Grievances/PGRS responsibilities from Sanjay Kumar to DG (IT) Seema Khanna, effectively changing the reporting structure and allowing her to report directly to the Election Commission on these matters. The order also left Sanjay Kumar with responsibility for electoral roll-related work.
The July 28 order, however, was not implemented following objections from the two Election Commissioners. Sources said the earlier reporting arrangement was verbally restored, with Seema Khanna continuing to route files through DEC Sanjay Kumar. No separate written order was issued to formally record the restoration of the previous arrangement.
The controversy had its origins in an earlier work allocation order dated September 23, 2025, which placed electoral rolls, IT and Grievances/PGRS under DEC Sanjay Kumar. Under this arrangement, DG (IT) Seema Khanna reported to Sanjay Kumar, who subsequently routed matters to the commission.
The July 28 order was issued by then Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Manish Garg, who was handling administrative responsibilities in an in-charge capacity in the absence of DEC Bhanu Pratap Yeturu, who was on leave at the time. According to sources, work allocation orders in the Election Commission are traditionally placed before the commission, with final approval taken at the commission level.
The issue acquired another dimension after Sanjay Kumar was prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre on personal grounds, almost a month after the July order, as per a Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) order.
Why The November 4 Order Matters
The latest order comes amid changes in the commission’s senior-level administrative setup, including the joining of a new Deputy Election Commissioner in recent weeks. While DG (IT) Seema Khanna had continued to discharge her responsibilities through a senior DEC under the earlier reporting arrangement, a fresh work allocation order was required to formally record the distribution of responsibilities following the July controversy and subsequent changes in the commission’s personnel.
The November 4 order thus provides a formal framework for the allocation of work after the earlier dispute, while also accounting for the responsibilities of newly appointed senior officials.
The development comes against the backdrop of questions raised by Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi over the decision-making process, administrative authority and reporting structures within the constitutional body. The issuance of the fresh order marks the commission’s latest formal step on work allocation since the July 28 controversy.
