New Delhi, September 30 (Daily Kiran) : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to remove the additional declaration associated with Form 6, the voter enrollment form, for states where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process has been completed. This change is effective as of September 30, 2026.
However, the additional declaration will still apply in states where the SIR process is ongoing. The ECI portal indicates that the declaration form is available for 13 states currently undergoing voter list updates.
During the SIR process, Form 6 is used for new voter registrations and to re-add individuals whose names were removed during the enumeration phase. Previously, a separate declaration was added to the physical form for mapping voters against the last voter list from the prior SIR.
This additional declaration sparked controversy, as it was alleged to violate regulations. Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukbir Singh Sandhu expressed objections, arguing that such changes fall outside the ECI’s jurisdiction and should only be suggested or implemented by the Ministry of Law.
The commissioners contended that modifications to the established form cannot be made without amending the rules set forth in the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
In response, the ECI clarified that no changes were made to the original legal Form 6. Instead, a separate ‘Annexure-D’ was added during the SIR process. This means that in states where the SIR is complete, potential voters can apply using the standard Form 6 without needing to submit the additional declaration related to the SIR.
During the SIR, new voters were previously asked to provide information about their electoral history and familial connections to past voters. The additional declaration included details such as mapping family entries from previous voter lists.
The controversy intensified when it became public that Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi had objected to the additional declaration being made mandatory with Form 6.
Leave a Comment