Cabinet Secretary forwarded EC concerns to top election official, RTI shows

An RTI response has brought to light correspondence between senior election officials and the Cabinet Secretary's office concerning the operations of the Election Commission's administrative hierarchy.

Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi submitted written communication to Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan on July 29 regarding matters related to Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg's functioning. The Cabinet Secretary subsequently forwarded acknowledgements of these letters to the Chief Election Commissioner marked for information.

The disclosure emerged through an RTI reply, indicating that the Cabinet Secretary's office maintained formal documentation of the inter-departmental communication. Such correspondence typically involves matters of administrative concern within constitutional bodies.

The exchange of communications between Election Commissioners and the Cabinet Secretary's office underscores the oversight mechanisms that operate within India's election administration framework. The forwarding of information to the Chief Election Commissioner suggests routine administrative protocol in handling matters affecting senior Election Commission officials.

The revelation adds to ongoing discussions about governance structures within the Election Commission and the lines of communication maintained between electoral authorities and the Union's top administrative officer.