The Supreme Court clarifies that it has never approved or rejected changes to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) modified Form 6, used for new voter registration in connection with Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The clarification comes amid a dispute over an additional declaration reportedly attached to Form 6 and over the meaning of the court’s earlier remarks in the Bihar SIR case.
According to the court, any observations made during hearings on the Bihar SIR cannot be treated as judicial approval or disapproval of the new Form 6. The bench says there has been “no adjudication” on the revised form, and that the modified version was not in existence when the Supreme Court delivered its SIR judgment. Outlets report the ECI had issued a September 26 statement claiming the Supreme Court upheld the additional declaration.
The declaration in question requires applicants to indicate whether their own name, or that of a parent or grandparent, appeared on electoral rolls prepared during an earlier SIR exercise. The Supreme Court agrees to examine related challenges, and directs that the petition be listed alongside other SIR-related matters for further consideration, including questions about who authorized the changes and their legal basis.
