The Election Commission of India (ECI) has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court asserting that an additional declaration form requiring deleted electors to trace their ancestral roll history does not constitute an amendment to the statutory Form 6. The poll body’s stand follows observations by a Supreme Court bench that it would examine the legality of the revised registration procedure.
The response, jointly submitted on behalf of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, addresses petitions challenging voter verification protocols implemented under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Under these guidelines, voters whose names were purged from the rolls must provide electoral records of themselves, their parents, or their grandparents—a process the commission terms voter "mapping." Any missing links or evidentiary gaps are categorized by officials as a "logical discrepancy." In Delhi alone, local roll revisions initially flagged 33.12 lakh cases under "no-mapping" or "logical discrepancy" classifications.
According to reporting by The Hindu, petitioners argued that the ECI unilaterally introduced extra-statutory burdens on pre-existing electors without Central government approval. Because Form 6 is governed by statutory election rules intended for registering new electors, petitioners contended that forcing previously registered voters to reapply under threat of penal provisions constitutes an unlawful administrative overreach.
The Commission's Defense and Legal Boundaries
Rejecting accusations of unauthorized rule-making, the poll panel argued that the disputed document operates independently of the statutory framework governing initial voter enrollment. "The Declaration is a document provided by SIR orders and is NOT a part of Form 6, which is the statutory Form for inclusion in the electoral roll," the ECI stated in its affidavit. The commission further maintained that the supplementary declaration is part of a broader online initiative aimed at easing document submission by consolidating ancestral verification into a single filing rather than demanding multiple fragmented proofs.
| Issue Dimension | Statutory Form 6 Rules | ECI Additional Declaration Framework |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Legal Function | Inclusion of first-time voters in the electoral roll | Verification tool issued under administrative SIR orders |
| Statutory Authority | Prescribed under central election rules by the Union Government | Issued administratively by the Election Commission of India |
| Data Mandate | Standard identity and residential verification | Historical ancestral roll tracking ("mapping") to eliminate discrepancies |
| Affected Roll Scope | Fresh applicants seeking regular registration | Re-applicants and deleted electors, including 33.12 lakh Delhi flags |
Judicial Review of the 'New' Form 6
The commission’s legal position arrives directly after the apex court signaled an intent to review how registration paperwork has evolved across state revision cycles. During proceedings reviewing previous roll purges, Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed: "When the Bihar SIR issue was heard and decided, the new Form 6 was not there. The new Form 6 was neither approved nor disapproved by us. But we will examine it now."
The Supreme Court's impending examination will determine whether pairing administrative verification requirements with standard inclusion forms exceeds the commission's constitutional mandate, directly impacting how millions of disenfranchised citizens can legally restore their names to the voter roll.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ECI stand for?
ECI stands for the Election Commission of India, the autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering national and state election processes across India.
What is Form 6 used for in Indian elections?
Statutory Form 6 is the designated legal application form used exclusively for the inclusion of names in the electoral roll, primarily serving first-time or fresh voters.
Why are petitioners challenging the additional declaration requirement?
Petitioners argue that only the Central government has the authority to amend statutory voter registration forms. They assert that the ECI cannot unilaterally force deleted electors to submit ancestral mapping declarations under the guise of an amended Form 6.
