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New Delhi, October 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has told the Supreme Court that it has made no changes to Form 6, the statutory application used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls, rejecting allegations that the form was amended through orders issued for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
In a counter-affidavit filed before the apex court, the poll panel described the allegation as misleading and clarified that the declaration required under the SIR orders is a separate document, distinct from Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The ECI was responding to claims that its SIR orders dated June 24, 2025, October 27, 2025, and May 14, 2026, had effectively altered the statutory form. It maintained that Form 6 can be amended only by the Central Government.
According to the affidavit, the accompanying declaration was revised to introduce a mapping mechanism allowing applicants to provide details of themselves or their parents or grandparents as recorded in previous electoral rolls. The facility is intended to help establish eligibility and reduce the need for additional supporting documents during the claims and objections process.
The Commission said the declaration was initially included as Annexure D in the June 24, 2025, SIR order and was subsequently replaced by Annexure IV in the orders issued on October 27, 2025, and May 14, 2026.
Applicants unable to provide details linking themselves to earlier SIR electoral rolls would be required to submit the prescribed supporting documents, the ECI said. Electoral Registration Officers could issue notices and provide opportunities for hearings wherever necessary under the applicable procedure.
The affidavit also explained changes to the online application process. The declaration had earlier been integrated into the online Form 6 interface to allow applicants to complete both documents through a single OTP and electronic signature, avoiding separate authentication requirements.
The Commission said Form 6 and the declaration were subsequently separated in online applications to align the digital process with the procedure followed for physical applications.
The ECI maintained that the SIR orders were issued under Article 324 of the Constitution and the applicable statutory framework, following unanimous decisions by the three-member Commission.