After internal objections, EC withdraws SIR declaration from Form 6 in states where revision is complete

PTC Web Desk: The Election Commission of India has removed the additional declaration linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) from the online Form 6 application in states and Union Territories where the electoral roll revision exercise has already been completed.

The additional requirement remains available in places where the SIR process is still underway. The change means that applicants in states where the exercise is over will now have to submit only the statutory Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

What has changed in Form 6?

Form 6 is used by eligible citizens to apply for inclusion in the electoral rolls. The additional SIR declaration had asked new applicants to provide information connecting themselves, their parents or grandparents with electoral rolls prepared during an earlier intensive revision.

The declaration has now been removed from the ECINET app and portal, as well as from the websites of the respective Chief Electoral Officers, in states where SIR has concluded.

In states and UTs where the revision is still in progress, however, the additional declaration continues to be part of the online enrolment process.

Decision follows September 26 full Commission meeting

The latest change comes days after a meeting of the full Election Commission on September 26, attended by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

Following the meeting, the Commission said the additional declaration attached to Form 6 was intended specifically for the SIR exercise. It clarified that outside the SIR period, the forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be used.

The Commission has maintained that the statutory Form 6 itself was not amended and that the declaration was an additional requirement specific to SIR.

Form 6 change had triggered objections within EC

The issue had attracted attention after Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections to the changes associated with Form 6.

Joshi had argued that since Form 6 is prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, changes to the statutory form could not be made without an amendment to the rules. Sandhu subsequently raised a similar objection to the addition of the SIR declaration, describing the change as unauthorised and seeking its removal.

The controversy followed reports that the two commissioners had recorded objections on several occasions over decisions and orders connected with the SIR exercise. The Indian Express reported that they had raised objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period on various matters.

EC maintains SIR requirement was separate from Form 6

Despite the objections, the Election Commission has consistently maintained that the statutory Form 6 was not altered.

The poll panel has described the additional declaration as an SIR-specific requirement rather than a change to the statutory form. It has also said that the requirement was supported by the Supreme Court's judgment concerning the Bihar SIR.

The withdrawal comes as the Election Commission has taken a series of decisions following its September 26 meeting amid scrutiny over the SIR process and the functioning of the poll panel.

The Commission announced several measures concerning the conduct of SIR, including changes to the hearing process and other administrative procedures. It also maintained that decisions relating to the revision exercise had the unanimous approval of all three commissioners.

With the additional declaration now removed in states where SIR has ended, new voters in those states will continue with the regular statutory Form 6 process, while the SIR-specific requirement remains applicable in states where the revision is still underway.

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