Why India's Election Commission is in the eye of a storm - again

India's Election Commission (ECI) is facing yet another crisis of credibility after a series of fresh allegations of irregularities against its chief.One of the most trusted public institutions in the world's largest democracy, the three-member commission is headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and includes Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as commissioners.The latest row broke out after a report in the Indian Express newspaper said that in the past few months, CEC Kumar had been repeatedly questioned by his two colleagues over the integrity of the voter database, changes to the way new voters are enrolled and the security of the electoral rolls itself.The report said that Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi objected to several decisions which were taken without their knowledge. There were at least 14 times in the past 10 months when Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi were kept in the dark, it added.In one instance, the report says, the two commissioners even wrote a letter complaining to the chief secretary, the top bureaucrat in the Indian government.The revelations have created a furore, with opposition leaders demanding Kumar's resignation. Sandhu and Joshi have not publicly commented on the report but the ECI said in a statement that "differing views" were part of the "decision-making process".The report comes at a time when the commission is carrying out a controversial country-wide revision of the electoral database.The Election Commission says the aim of this Special Intensive Revision - better known by its acronym SIR - is to ensure that no ineligible name remains on the rolls.