In the wake of internal friction and public protests concerning the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Election Commission has officially issued its first fresh work order to govern internal operations. Issued on November 4, this directive marks the primary formal redistribution of internal responsibilities within the poll body following the stalled order of July 28, charting out the operational roadmap for the commission's upcoming tasks.
Revised Reporting Protocol for the IT Division
Under the freshly stipulated administrative mandate, IT Director General Seema Khanna has been formally directed to report to the Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) of the Election Commission. This written provision resolves a prolonged organizational ambiguity concerning direct reporting channels within the technology administration wing of the poll watchdog.
The Standoff Surrounding the July Directives
The previous administrative order issued on July 28 was never successfully implemented because both Election Commissioners raised serious objections against its terms. That earlier directive had mandated DG Seema Khanna to assume independent charge of the IT department and report directly to the Commission itself. Because the two Election Commissioners objected, that arrangement stalled, forcing DG Seema Khanna to continue routing internal files and proposals strictly via the DEC.
Escalation to the Cabinet Secretary
The disagreement over the July 28 order had escalated when both Election Commissioners, S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, jointly addressed a formal letter to the Cabinet Secretary, raising questions regarding the functioning and working style of a senior official. Since the July 28 directive remained entirely inoperative, day-to-day administrative affairs continued under older frameworks, where IT responsibilities rested with the then DEC Sanjay Kumar. The November 4 directive now serves as the first consolidated work-allocation order within the poll body to formalize administrative duties after the organizational rift.
