The Backstory: When EC disagreements went public, from Seshan to Lavasa

The Election Commission is facing fresh scrutiny after an Indian Express report highlighted disagreements among its members over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The dispute recalls two earlier episodes of internal dissent: TN Seshan’s legal battle over the multi-member poll panel in the 1990s and Ashok Lavasa’s dissent during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Both cases shaped debates over the EC’s functioning and authority.