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New Delhi, Sep 26 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday said all major decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were taken with the approval of the full Commission. The clarification came amid questions over the decision-making process within the three-member poll panel. In a press note issued after a meeting on September 26, the ECI also announced changes to the SIR notice and hearing process and ordered a review of its ECINet system. BLOs To Visit Voters Issued Notices The Commission said voters who receive notices for being unmapped or for having logical discrepancies will not normally have to appear before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). Instead, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit their homes, collect the required documents and upload them on ECINet. The ERO will then take a decision based on the documents. Hearings will be held only in exceptional cases. The ECI said such hearings should preferably be conducted online. An adult family member can also be authorised to appear on behalf of the elector. ECINet To Undergo Review The Commission has also ordered a review of ECINet, the system used for electoral roll-related work. A committee headed by a senior Deputy Election Commissioner will examine the system, with an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT also included. The review will check whether the system complies with the relevant laws and rules. The ECI said several upgrades have already been made based on inputs from state Chief Electoral Officers. ECI Clarifies Cabinet Secretary Letter On the letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary, the Commission said it was related to the functioning of an officer on deputation to the ECI and was not connected with any policy decision of the Commission or its IT division. The ECI said some work redistribution orders issued by the concerned officer were not implemented following directions from two Election Commissioners. It also said oversight of the IT division by the Deputy Election Commissioner was never withdrawn. Deadlines Extended In Delhi, Maharashtra The ECI has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi to October 30. The disposal of notices, claims and objections has been extended to November 30. In Maharashtra, the filing deadline has been extended to October 12, while disposal will continue until November 10. Special Drive For Left-Out Voters The Commission said SIR has been completed in 20 states and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. Voters whose names were left out, including young and first-time voters, can apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion through the continuous updation process. The ECI has directed Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and EROs to launch special enrolment drives to facilitate this process. Also Read : Relief for Non‑Data Users as TRAI Mandates Cheaper Packs Form 6 Declaration Upheld The Commission also said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Supreme Court. For periods outside SIR, forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 will continue to be used. The ECI further said its SIR orders, including the nationwide exercise launched in phases, were approved unanimously by the full Commission. It said the Supreme Court had also upheld its June 24, 2025 SIR order. Goa Issue Addressed In Goa, the Commission said BLOs were directed to visit voters who had been left out. Of 97 such voters identified, 81 have already submitted Form 6. The September 26 meeting was attended by all three Election Commissioners, and the press note said the decisions had the approval of the full Commission.

Tokai, Sep 26: The Indian women’s kabaddi team clinched gold after beating Iran at the 2026 Asian Games , defeating Iran 37‑34 in a thrilling final at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium here on Saturday. The victory secured India’s fourth gold medal in Women’s Kabaddi at the continental event and marked the contingent’s third gold in Japan. The Women in Blue held their nerve in a thrilling gold medal match. They kept a lead for the majority of the final and went to the first half break with a scoreline of 22-16. The Iranian women gave the Indian women a good run and pushed them to the limits in the second half, collecting 18 points in reply to India's 15. However, the Women in Blue had done enough to seal the contest 37-34. The contest began on a close note with the two teams level on 5-5 after four minutes into the first half. Iran took the lead at 6-5 with a super ankle hold on India's Sanju. The two teams remained close in the next few minutes too, with Pooja bringing a point and Iran left with one player. India inflicted the first all-out when Bhavna Devi tackled the raider for a 13-10 lead for India. India's Nikita then produced a multi-point raid to give the defending champions a 15-10 lead before Sanju Devi earned three points for a bonus plus two. At the end of the first half, India had an arm's distance against the Iranians with a 22-16 lead. The second half also saw some close battles on raids and defence. Iran ramped up a few points to reduce India's lead to three points. Indian were left with two players on the mat and unleashed a solid tackle to take a 25-20 lead with 10 minutes to go. Also Read: Asian Games 2026: Sawan Barwal Clinches Silver in Men’s Marathon, Ends India’s 44-Year Wait Iran did not give up anytime soon, with Zahra Karimi putting some crucial tackles as India were not allowed to run away with the game. Iran also inflicted an all-out on India with Madadi bringing two points to close the 27-26 in favour of India with eight minutes remaining on the timer. However, Sanju produced another two-point raid to help India keep Iran at bay and lead 34-28. Pooja collected another point as India held their nerves to win the contest 37-34. --IANS