Form 6 unchanged, online SIR form and declaration separated from Oct 21: EC to SC

The Election Commission on Monday told the Supreme Court that it had not amended Form 6, the online application form used by first-time voters to register, and that the additional declaration introduced during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a separate document. 

However, in a significant admission, the poll panel acknowledged that the way the declaration was displayed online could be construed as an amendment, and said it had separated the two in the online application process from October 21.

In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the EC maintained that only the central government has the authority to amend Form 6, which is prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The SIR declaration, it said, was a separate document and had not been incorporated into the statutory



form.

The commission explained that the declaration was displayed alongside Form 6 on the online application portal to allow applicants to complete the process using a single one-time password (OTP) and electronic signature.

However, acknowledging that this presentation could give the impression that the form had been amended, the EC said a decision was taken on October 21 to split the online application into two parts – Form 6 and the separate SIR declaration – as is already the case with physical forms.

The EC's affidavit was filed in response to a petition by Rakesh Kumar Singh, who challenged the changes to Form 6 and raised concerns over the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Supreme Court had issued notices to the EC, the CEC and other officials.