{"id":338,"date":"2026-09-27T02:15:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T02:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/palakkadnews.com\/blog\/?p=338"},"modified":"2026-09-27T02:15:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T02:15:47","slug":"political-accountability-election-commission-sir-indian-democracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/palakkadnews.com\/blog\/governance-accountability\/political-accountability-election-commission-sir-indian-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Kerala Political Accountability &#038; Election Commission Row: Why Democratic Institutions Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--\nSEO TITLE:\nKerala Political Accountability & Election Commission Row: Why Democratic Institutions Matter\n\nMETA DESCRIPTION:\nFrom Kerala political accountability to the Election Commission dispute over SIR, Form 6 and voter rolls, examine the questions facing Indian democracy.\n\nSLUG:\npolitical-accountability-election-commission-sir-indian-democracy\n\nFOCUS KEYPHRASE:\nElection Commission controversy India\n--><\/p>\n<article>\n<header>\n<h1>When Power Changes, Should Political Culture Change Too?<\/h1>\n<p><strong>From political accountability in Kerala to serious internal disagreements reported within the Election Commission of India, recent controversies raise a fundamental democratic question: should the standards applied to one government or political party change when another comes to power?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<nav aria-label=\"Table of contents\">\n<h2>In This Article<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#kerala\">Kerala: Is a Change of Government Enough?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sponsored-travel\">The Real Issue With Sponsored Travel<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#eci\">The Election Commission Question<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#14-objections\">Why the Reported 14 Objections Matter<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#form6\">The Form 6 Controversy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sir\">What Is SIR?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#voter-database\">Who Controls India&#8217;s Voter Database?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#eci-response\">What Does the Election Commission Say?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#appointment\">How Is the CEC Appointed?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#whataboutery\">The &#8216;My Party&#8217; Problem<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#journalism\">Why Investigative Journalism Matters<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#conclusion\">Governments Are Temporary. Institutions Must Outlast Them.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<hr>\n<p>Changing a government is easy to understand. Voters remove one political coalition and elect another.<\/p>\n<p>But does a change of government automatically produce a change in <strong>political culture<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>That is a much harder question.<\/p>\n<p>Recent political controversies in Kerala, alongside serious questions emerging from within the <strong>Election Commission of India (ECI)<\/strong>, bring us back to one of democracy&#8217;s most basic principles:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Those who exercise public power must be willing to explain how they exercise it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This principle applies regardless of whether a government is led by the Left, Congress, BJP or any other political formation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Governments change. Parties change. Leaders change. The standards of democratic accountability should not.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"kerala\">Kerala: Is a Change of Government Enough?<\/h2>\n<p>One recurring criticism in Indian politics is that political parties demand high standards of accountability while sitting in Opposition, but can become defensive when similar questions are directed at them after acquiring power.<\/p>\n<p>This raises a simple democratic question:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Should the standards demanded from one government also apply to the government that replaces it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As a principle of democratic accountability, consistency matters.<\/p>\n<p>If chartered aircraft, sponsored travel, expensive official arrangements or relationships between politicians and wealthy private individuals were legitimate subjects of scrutiny under one government, they remain legitimate subjects of scrutiny under the next.<\/p>\n<p>A party label cannot by itself change the underlying principle.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sponsored-travel\">The Real Issue With Sponsored Travel<\/h2>\n<p>Public discussion about politicians travelling in privately arranged aircraft can easily get reduced to one question:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Did taxpayers pay for it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>That question is important, but it does not necessarily settle every public-interest issue.<\/p>\n<p>If a private individual or organisation provides substantial travel or another benefit to someone holding high public office, legitimate transparency questions can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Who provided the benefit?<\/li>\n<li>What was its approximate value?<\/li>\n<li>Why was it provided?<\/li>\n<li>Does the individual or organisation have business before the government?<\/li>\n<li>Does it hold government contracts, licences or other commercial interests?<\/li>\n<li>Could it reasonably seek a government decision in future?<\/li>\n<li>Was the benefit officially disclosed where disclosure was required?<\/li>\n<li>What rules or codes of conduct apply?<\/li>\n<li>Was any potential conflict of interest identified and managed?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The absence of direct government expenditure does not automatically answer all these questions.<\/p>\n<p>Equally, receiving privately arranged travel does not by itself establish corruption or wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p>The key democratic principle is <strong>transparency<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Friendship and Public Office Are Different Things<\/h3>\n<p>A politician is entitled to have wealthy friends. A wealthy person is entitled to have politicians as friends.<\/p>\n<p>But once someone occupies public office, private relationships can acquire a public-interest dimension.<\/p>\n<p>A Chief Minister, minister or senior government official may exercise powers affecting contracts, licences, land, regulation, policing and numerous administrative decisions.<\/p>\n<p>That does not mean every gift, favour or sponsored journey is corrupt.<\/p>\n<p>It means disclosure and conflict-of-interest safeguards become important.<\/p>\n<p>The relevant questions are therefore straightforward:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Who paid?<\/li>\n<li>How much?<\/li>\n<li>Why?<\/li>\n<li>What relationship exists between the parties?<\/li>\n<li>Were applicable rules followed?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Clear answers can often resolve a controversy more effectively than political rhetoric.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"eci\">From Kerala to a Much Bigger Institutional Question<\/h2>\n<p>The debate becomes substantially more serious when it reaches one of India&#8217;s central democratic institutions: the <strong>Election Commission of India<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2026, <em>The Indian Express<\/em> published an investigation by journalist Ritika Chopra based on internal communications concerning disagreements within the three-member Election Commission.<\/p>\n<p>According to the investigation, Election Commissioners <strong>Sukhbir Singh Sandhu<\/strong> and <strong>Vivek Joshi<\/strong> placed objections on record on multiple occasions concerning decisions they said had been taken without their knowledge.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/election-commission-sir-14-objections-gyanesh-kumar-sukhbir-singh-sandhu-vivek-joshi-10889737\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read The Indian Express investigation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"14-objections\">Why the Reported 14 Objections Matter<\/h2>\n<p>According to <em>The Indian Express<\/em>, Sandhu and Joshi formally recorded objections on <strong>at least 14 occasions during a ten-month period<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The reported disputes touched important components of electoral administration, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>new voter registration;<\/li>\n<li>deletion and restoration of names;<\/li>\n<li>appeals involving electoral rolls;<\/li>\n<li>changes connected with Form 6;<\/li>\n<li>the Special Intensive Revision process;<\/li>\n<li>control of electoral-roll information systems; and<\/li>\n<li>security and administration of voter data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An important distinction must be maintained here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>These reported internal objections do not by themselves prove electoral manipulation or wrongdoing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Disagreement within a multi-member institution can be part of normal deliberation.<\/p>\n<p>However, repeated objections involving fundamental components of electoral administration are legitimate matters of public interest, particularly when they come from two members of a three-member Election Commission.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"form6\">The Form 6 Controversy<\/h2>\n<p>One particularly important disagreement reportedly concerned <strong>Form 6<\/strong>, which is used for applications for inclusion in the electoral roll.<\/p>\n<p>According to <em>The Indian Express<\/em>, questions connected with the Special Intensive Revision were introduced into the online Form 6 process.<\/p>\n<p>The newspaper reported that Sandhu and Joshi objected to the modification and argued that it should be removed.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/election-commission-illegal-changes-form-6-gyanesh-kumar-10889714\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read the report on the Form 6 disagreement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This matters because voter registration is not merely an administrative technicality.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It determines who gets included in the democratic process.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sir\">What Is SIR?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>SIR<\/strong> stands for <strong>Special Intensive Revision<\/strong> of electoral rolls.<\/p>\n<p>Maintaining accurate electoral rolls is a legitimate and necessary responsibility of the Election Commission.<\/p>\n<p>Electoral databases require updating because citizens:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>turn 18 and become eligible to vote;<\/li>\n<li>die;<\/li>\n<li>move between constituencies;<\/li>\n<li>change addresses;<\/li>\n<li>may appear more than once due to administrative errors; or<\/li>\n<li>may otherwise require correction of their electoral records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The democratic debate therefore should not be reduced to whether electoral rolls should ever be revised.<\/p>\n<p>The important questions are:<\/p>\n<p><strong>How is the revision conducted? What evidence is required? What safeguards exist? And how are legitimate voters protected against wrongful exclusion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When revision exercises involve very large numbers of electors, procedural transparency and accessible claims and appeals mechanisms become particularly important.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"voter-database\">Who Controls India&#8217;s Voter Database?<\/h2>\n<p>One of the technically significant issues reported by <em>The Indian Express<\/em> concerns the administration of electoral-roll databases and increasing centralisation of technological control.<\/p>\n<p>Electoral Registration Officers, or <strong>EROs<\/strong>, perform statutory functions concerning electoral rolls.<\/p>\n<p>The broader governance question raised by increasing dependence on centrally controlled software is important:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>When government administration becomes software-driven, does the statutory officer remain the effective decision-maker, or can the software architecture constrain that authority?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This question extends well beyond elections.<\/p>\n<p>India is rapidly digitising government administration. Databases, algorithms and software workflows increasingly mediate decisions that were once handled entirely through files and human officials.<\/p>\n<p>The principle should remain clear:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Software should implement the law. Software should not quietly become a substitute for the law.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Concerns Reached the Cabinet Secretary<\/h3>\n<p>According to the Express investigation, Sandhu and Joshi separately communicated with the <strong>Cabinet Secretary<\/strong> regarding changes connected with the Election Commission&#8217;s IT systems and allocation of work.<\/p>\n<p>The reported dispute therefore went beyond a casual difference of opinion.<\/p>\n<p>But once again, institutional disagreement is not itself proof that a final decision was unlawful.<\/p>\n<p>The correct public-interest response is to examine the records, legal authority, procedures followed and institutional explanation.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"eci-response\">What Does the Election Commission Say?<\/h2>\n<p>Fair analysis requires presenting the Election Commission&#8217;s response.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission has characterised written observations and differences during deliberations as part of its institutional decision-making process and checks and balances.<\/p>\n<p>That argument deserves consideration.<\/p>\n<p>Multi-member institutions are expected to contain debate.<\/p>\n<p>An objection raised during deliberation does not automatically establish that the final decision was illegal.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, the existence of documented objections from Election Commissioners cannot simply be treated as irrelevant because political parties later use those objections in their own campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>The substance of the objections and the Commission&#8217;s response should be examined independently of partisan narratives.<\/p>\n<h2>Political Fallout: Separate Demands From Findings<\/h2>\n<p>The investigation has generated substantial political reaction.<\/p>\n<p>Opposition politicians have intensified criticism of Chief Election Commissioner <strong>Gyanesh Kumar<\/strong>, with some demanding his resignation or parliamentary action.<\/p>\n<p>These must be described accurately as <strong>political demands<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>They are not equivalent to judicial findings or proof of wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation establishes the existence of significant reported internal disagreements.<\/p>\n<p>It does not, by itself, prove every wider political allegation subsequently made about the Election Commission or establish that particular election results were manipulated.<\/p>\n<p>This distinction is essential to any evidence-based discussion.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"appointment\">How Is the Chief Election Commissioner Appointed?<\/h2>\n<p>The controversy also brings attention back to the mechanism used for appointing India&#8217;s Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.<\/p>\n<p>Under the <strong>Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023<\/strong>, the selection committee consists of:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>the Prime Minister;<\/li>\n<li>the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha; and<\/li>\n<li>a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The formal appointment is made by the President of India.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiacode.nic.in\/bitstream\/123456789\/19721\/1\/a2023-49.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read the 2023 Act on India Code<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The composition of this selection mechanism has itself been politically and legally debated.<\/p>\n<p>However, criticism of the appointment mechanism and allegations concerning particular Election Commission decisions are separate questions and should be analysed separately.<\/p>\n<h2>Criticism Is Not Proof &#8211; But Institutions Must Answer Questions<\/h2>\n<p>Political debate frequently falls into two equally problematic extremes.<\/p>\n<p>One side sees an allegation against an institution and immediately declares the institution compromised.<\/p>\n<p>The other side treats criticism of the institution as an attack on democracy itself.<\/p>\n<p>Neither approach is particularly useful.<\/p>\n<p>A mature constitutional democracy should instead be able to say:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>There are serious questions. Show the records and answer them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If decisions were properly authorised, explain how.<\/p>\n<p>If concerns raised internally were subsequently resolved, explain how.<\/p>\n<p>If procedures changed, explain the legal basis.<\/p>\n<p>If software architecture changed, explain the safeguards.<\/p>\n<p>If legitimate voters are removed from draft electoral rolls, ensure accessible procedures exist for verification, claims, appeals and restoration where appropriate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Institutional credibility is strengthened by transparent answers, not by immunity from questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"whataboutery\">The &#8216;My Party&#8217; Problem<\/h2>\n<p>One of the least productive habits in Indian political discussion is whataboutery.<\/p>\n<p>Congress is questioned, and somebody points to CPM.<\/p>\n<p>CPM is questioned, and somebody points to Congress.<\/p>\n<p>BJP is questioned, and somebody points to previous governments.<\/p>\n<p>Within minutes, nobody is discussing the original issue.<\/p>\n<p>Previous actions can provide relevant historical context. But they do not automatically justify present conduct.<\/p>\n<p>A more consistent democratic standard is:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>If an action deserves scrutiny when your political opponent does it, it should also deserve scrutiny when your own side does it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This does not require pretending all allegations are equally serious or equally well supported.<\/p>\n<p>It requires applying the same evidentiary standard.<\/p>\n<h2>Democracy Is More Than Elections<\/h2>\n<p>Democracy is not simply the existence of periodic elections.<\/p>\n<p>A functioning constitutional democracy also depends on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>free and fair electoral administration;<\/li>\n<li>an independent judiciary;<\/li>\n<li>legislative scrutiny;<\/li>\n<li>a free and independent press;<\/li>\n<li>transparent government;<\/li>\n<li>institutional checks and balances;<\/li>\n<li>freedom to criticise those exercising power; and<\/li>\n<li>equal treatment under law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Elections determine who governs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Institutions determine how those elected governments are permitted to govern.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That distinction is fundamental.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"journalism\">Why Investigative Journalism Matters<\/h2>\n<p>The Election Commission controversy also illustrates the role of investigative journalism in a democracy.<\/p>\n<p>The significant information in this case emerged from reporting based on internal correspondence and discussions with officials rather than merely from political speeches.<\/p>\n<p>Once information enters the political arena, however, different parties inevitably interpret it according to their interests.<\/p>\n<p>Citizens should follow a different process:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Read the underlying reporting.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Separate documentary evidence from political interpretation.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Examine the response of the institution concerned.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Look for primary documents where available.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Then form a conclusion.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This is far more reliable than deciding the conclusion first and searching for supporting evidence afterwards.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\">Governments Are Temporary. Institutions Must Outlast Them.<\/h2>\n<p>India&#8217;s constitutional structure was designed around the idea that political power requires limits.<\/p>\n<p>Governments come and go.<\/p>\n<p>Chief Ministers come and go.<\/p>\n<p>Prime Ministers come and go.<\/p>\n<p>Election Commissioners come and go.<\/p>\n<p>Political parties rise, decline, divide and sometimes disappear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Democratic institutions must survive all of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Institutional credibility ultimately depends not on demanding unquestioning public trust but on demonstrating that such trust is deserved.<\/p>\n<p>That requires:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>clear procedures;<\/li>\n<li>proper records;<\/li>\n<li>checks and balances;<\/li>\n<li>disclosure;<\/li>\n<li>independent scrutiny;<\/li>\n<li>accessible grievance mechanisms; and<\/li>\n<li>the freedom to ask uncomfortable questions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The most useful democratic principle may therefore also be one of the simplest:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Do not ask who is in power before deciding whether something deserves scrutiny.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ask instead:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Was it lawful?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Was it transparent?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Was the proper procedure followed?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Was public interest protected?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Can those responsible explain the decision with evidence?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These questions should be applied consistently to the Left, Congress, BJP and every institution exercising public power.<\/p>\n<p>Because democracy is not about protecting <em>our side<\/em> from questions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It is about protecting everyone&#8217;s right to ask them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<section id=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What is SIR in the Election Commission?<\/h3>\n<p>SIR stands for Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. It is a process involving verification and updating of voter records. The current controversy concerns how parts of the revision process have been implemented and what safeguards exist for eligible voters.<\/p>\n<h3>What is Form 6?<\/h3>\n<p>Form 6 is used to apply for inclusion of a person&#8217;s name in an electoral roll. Reported internal disagreements within the Election Commission concerned changes made to the online Form 6 process in connection with SIR.<\/p>\n<h3>Who are the current Election Commissioners discussed in this controversy?<\/h3>\n<p>The reported internal disagreements involve Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.<\/p>\n<h3>Did two Election Commissioners oppose the CEC?<\/h3>\n<p>The Indian Express reported that Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions during a ten-month period concerning various electoral-roll and administrative decisions. The Election Commission has characterised internal observations and deliberations as part of its institutional checks and balances.<\/p>\n<h3>Do these objections prove election manipulation?<\/h3>\n<p>No. The reported existence of internal objections does not by itself prove election manipulation or establish that particular election results were altered. The objections do, however, raise questions about procedures and institutional decision-making that are legitimate subjects for public scrutiny.<\/p>\n<h3>Why is control of electoral-roll software important?<\/h3>\n<p>Electoral-roll software can influence how statutory decisions are implemented in practice. The broader governance issue is whether technological systems faithfully implement decisions made under electoral law and preserve appropriate oversight, auditability and accountability.<\/p>\n<h3>How is India&#8217;s Chief Election Commissioner selected?<\/h3>\n<p>Under the 2023 law, a selection committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister recommends appointments. The President formally makes the appointment.<\/p>\n<h3>Why does political accountability matter after a change of government?<\/h3>\n<p>Democratic accountability should not depend on which political party holds office. Transparency, conflict-of-interest safeguards, lawful procedure and public scrutiny should apply consistently across governments and political parties.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<hr>\n<section>\n<h2>Sources and Further Reading<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/election-commission-sir-14-objections-gyanesh-kumar-sukhbir-singh-sandhu-vivek-joshi-10889737\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Indian Express &#8211; Investigation into internal objections within the Election Commission<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/election-commission-illegal-changes-form-6-gyanesh-kumar-10889714\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Indian Express &#8211; Report on the Form 6 dispute<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/election-commission-gyanesh-kumar-sukhbir-sandhu-vivek-joshi-electoral-roll-control-systems-10889773\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Indian Express &#8211; Report on electoral-roll control systems<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/election-commission-india-cec-election-commissioners-dissent-10894190\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Indian Express &#8211; Explained: Dissent within the Election Commission<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiacode.nic.in\/bitstream\/123456789\/19721\/1\/a2023-49.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">India Code &#8211; Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Power Changes, Should Political Culture Change Too? 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