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Additional declaration removed from Form 6 in states where SIR has been completed
The Election Commission of India has removed the additional declaration associated with Special Intensive Revision (SIR) from the online Form 6 in states and union territories where the SIR process has been completed. Form 6 is used to include the names of new voters in the voters list.
This change has been made on the ECINET portal and the websites of the respective Chief Electoral Officers. Now, new voters in areas where SIR has been completed will have to apply through the normal statutory Form.
However, in states or union territories where the SIR process is still ongoing, the provision for an additional declaration form remains in place. That means this change has not been implemented simultaneously across the country.
What was added to Form 6?
The additional declaration added to the online Form asked the applicant to provide information related to his or her parents’ or grandparents’ past voter records. This included questions related to name being on the voter list during the old SIR.
This additional section was visible in the online version of the official Form. According to reports, it was not made mandatory, but applicants had to answer questions related to the declaration in order to proceed with the online application.
This is why legal and administrative questions arose about the process for including this additional section in Form 6. The controversy centered on the process by which such a change could be made to a statutorily prescribed form.
Two Election Commissioners had raised objections.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected to the addition of the SIR section to Form. According to reports, they questioned under what authority the changes to Form 6, prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, were made.
Sandhu had termed the change as ‘unauthorised’ and ‘illegal’ and had called for its removal, while Joshi had also stressed on the need for a change in the rules. Both these things came to light on the basis of his objections recorded in media reports.
On the other hand, the Election Commission stated that no changes were made to the original Form. According to the Commission, the additional declaration was added as a separate requirement during the SIR process.
The system changed after the September 26th meeting.
Amid the controversy surrounding Form 6 and SIR, a meeting was held on September 26th between Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners. The Commission then clarified that the additional declaration is linked to the period of SIR and the prescribed statutory Form 6 will be used after the expiry of SIR.
Subsequently, the additional declaration from Form 6 on ECINET was removed in the states and union territories that had completed SIR. The normal Form procedure is now applicable for new voters in the respective areas.
The Election Commission had also clarified its position on reports of internal differences over decisions related to SIR. The Commission has maintained that decisions related to SIR were taken unanimously.
What will change for new voters?
New voters in states where the SIR has been completed will no longer be asked questions about the additional SIR declaration when filling out Form 6. They will need to follow the prescribed statutory application process for inclusion in the electoral roll.
This will make the application process different from before, especially for first-time voters, as additional information from old voter records linked to SIR will no longer be sought with Form 6 in areas where revision has been completed.
However, this additional arrangement will continue in states with SIR. Therefore, the processing of Form 6 for an applicant will depend on the SIR status in his/her state.
ECINET will also be reviewed amid the Form 6 controversy.
Amidst the controversy surrounding Form 6, the Election Commission has also announced a review of ECINET and its associated IT systems. The Commission has initiated the process of engaging experts to examine the technical and administrative aspects.
Form 6 was not the only topic of discussion regarding the changes in ECINET. Questions have also been raised regarding the role of election officials and the work related to voter list through digital system. The purpose of reviewing these issues is to ensure that the process complies with the rules.
In this entire controversy, on one hand, objections of two Election Commissioners came to the fore, while on the other hand, the Commission at its level described the additional announcement as a system related to SIR. Now with the decision to remove it in areas where SIR is complete, the Form 6 process has again come closer to the prescribed format.
The system was changed after a controversy surrounding the SIR and Form 6.
The decision to remove the additional SIR declaration from Form 6 comes at a time when questions have been raised both within and outside the Election Commission about this process. The Commission has now clarified the provisions of the common Form 6 for areas where SIR is to be completed.
At the same time, in the states where SIR is still in force, the system of additional declaration will remain in place for the time being. This means that the process of Form 6 may vary from state to state depending on the status of SIR.
Now the focus will be on what changes emerge after the Election Commission’s review on the remaining technical and administrative issues related to SIR and ECINET.
