Form 6 Unchanged, Declaration Added to Facilitate Verification: Election Commission Tells Supreme Court
The Election Commission of India has clarified to the Supreme Court that Form 6 remains unaltered, defending the introduction of a new declaration form for voter verification.
Official Clarification Filed in Supreme Court
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has formally clarified to the Supreme Court that no statutory amendments have been made to Form 6, the mandatory document required for first-time voter registrations. In an affidavit submitted to counter ongoing petitions against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the poll body maintained that all decisions regarding the process were unanimous.
The clarification addresses concerns raised over the digital implementation of the SIR exercise, which was launched to eliminate duplicate entries from electoral rolls. According to the poll body, a separate declaration form was introduced alongside Form 6 rather than replacing or altering it.
The Concept of 'Mapping'
Addressing the legal challenges, the ECI explained that the additional declaration was designed to introduce a "mapping" mechanism. This mechanism allows applicants to connect their personal details with historical data from the 2002 and 2003 Special Intensive Revision exercises by providing details of themselves, their parents, or their grandparents.
"The amended Declaration was a measure that would enable the person seeking registration as a voter to dispense with the need for filing documents during the claims and objections period," the affidavit stated.
The poll panel emphasized that under constitutional and statutory frameworks, only the central government holds the authority to modify the format of Form 6. Consequently, the separate declaration form was created exclusively for the SIR process to expedite verification without imposing additional documentation burdens on applicants.
Background of the Legal Challenge
The petitions challenging the leadership of the Election Commission and the SIR exercise emerged following public reports highlighting internal dissent within the poll panel. The ongoing judicial scrutiny continues to examine the procedural safeguards and administrative protocols governing the massive electoral roll revision exercises across the country.
About Gaurav Sen
Senior Editorial Director & Lead Geopolitical Analyst
Senior Editorial Director and investigative correspondent covering national affairs, international relations, defense, and economic policy for Daily News 365.
