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issues notice on plea challenging ICSI's electronic voting for 2026 elections
The has issued notice on a petition challenging the ’s decision to introduce electronic voting for its 2026 Council elections. Justice Amit Bansal, presiding over a single bench, directed the and ICSI to file their responses within four weeks.
A challenge to e-voting in professional body elections
The petitioner, Subhash Bharti, an ICSI member, moved the court seeking quashing of the decisions taken by the ICSI Council on May 22, 23, and , which approved electronic voting for the upcoming elections. Bharti argued that the elections should be conducted through the existing physical mode of voting, as mandated by the and the .
Alternatively, the plea contends that electronic voting should not be implemented unless adequate statutory, technical, and procedural safeguards are established. Bharti’s counsel, , stressed that measures such as a , , and a genuine with results disclosed to the membership are essential. He also flagged concerns about internet connectivity, hardware, software, and OTP delivery that could deprive members of their voting rights.
Demand for independent oversight
In a notable demand, the petition seeks removal of the existing and other ICSI Secretariat officials from involvement in the conduct, supervision, administration, data management, counting, audit, declaration of results, and preservation of records relating to the 2026 elections. Bharti has called for appointment of an independent or Administrator to oversee the entire electoral process. Additionally, he has sought independent oversight of the electoral process, production of records concerning the decision to introduce e-voting, and an into access to and sharing of the ICSI member database.
The court considered the submissions and issued notice to the respondents, including the . appeared for ICSI, while represented the Union government. The court has directed that replies be filed within four weeks.
Next hearing on October 27
The matter will be next heard on . In the interim, the court allowed an accompanying the petition. The case, registered as , is likely to test the legal framework governing elections in statutory professional bodies and the balance between technological innovation and .
The decision on electronic voting’s fate now rests on the submissions of the respondents and the court’s eventual analysis of the safeguards demanded by the petitioner.
