ECI Defends Form 6 Changes Amid SIR Voter Exclusion Claims – Supreme Court Yet to Rule

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued an affidavit stating that the recent addition of a declaration form to Form 6 is not a statutory amendment. The move comes after petitioners alleged that the change unfairly excludes voters whose names were deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) . The Supreme Court has not yet taken a final decision on the matter. Key Developments On 26 October 2026 , the ECI affidavit, signed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, asserted that Form 6 itself was unchanged; the extra declaration is a separate document. The declaration asks deleted voters to provide details of earlier roll entries or those of parents/grandparents, termed ‘ logical discrepancy ’ by the ECI. In Delhi, about 33.12 lakh cases of ‘no‑mapping’ or logical discrepancy were recorded. The ECI earlier claimed the declaration was upheld by the Supreme Court, but on 12 October 2026 the Court clarified it had neither approved nor disapproved the new form. Justice Joymalya Bagchi indicated the Court will examine the new Form 6 in a future hearing. Important Facts The additional declaration is presented as an online facilitation tool, allowing voters to submit a single document instead of multiple proofs, as was required in the Bihar SIR. However, petitioners argue that deleted electors are being forced to apply as fresh voters, exposing them to penal consequences if they fail to comply. The ECI’s press note of 26 September 2026 stated that for non‑SIR periods, the existing forms under the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 will continue to apply. UPSC Relevance Understanding the autonomy and limits of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Commission is crucial for GS‑2 questions on electoral reforms. The case also illustrates the interplay between the judiciary and constitutional bodies, a frequent theme in GS‑2 and GS‑4. Knowledge of the SIR process and Form 6 is essential for questions on voter registration and electoral roll management. Way Forward Stakeholders await a definitive Supreme Court ruling on whether the declaration form constitutes a statutory amendment. In the interim, the ECI may continue to accept the declaration as an auxiliary document, but petitioners are likely to pursue further legal remedies. Aspirants should monitor subsequent judgments, as they will clarify the procedural boundaries of the Election Commission and set precedents for future electoral reforms.