Election Commission Removes SIR Declaration from Form 6 in States Where SIR Has Concluded
New Delhi: The Election Commission has removed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration that had been added to the statutory voter enrolment application, Form 6, from its ECINET application portal in states where the SIR exercise has already been completed.
The change was made four days after the Election Commission announced that the regular statutory forms would be used during periods when SIR was not underway. The development comes amid questions raised internally over the addition of the SIR-related declaration to Form 6.
The Election Commission had announced on September 26 that “for non-SIR period, the Forms applicable as per Rules (the Registration of Electors Rules 1960) will be used.” Following that decision, the SIR declaration was removed from the online Form 6 application in states where the revision process has concluded.
However, the declaration continues to remain visible in states where the Special Intensive Revision is still in progress.
Change follows objections within the Commission
The latest move comes days after concerns reportedly emerged within the Election Commission regarding the addition of the SIR declaration to Form 6.
According to reports, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections to the inclusion of the additional declaration. The issue was significant because Form 6 is a statutory form prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The Indian Express had earlier reported that the two Election Commissioners questioned the addition of the declaration, pointing out that changes to the statutory form could only be made by the Union Law Ministry.
Form 6 is used by eligible citizens to apply for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll. Since it is a form governed by statutory rules, any alteration to its prescribed format involves a formal legal and administrative process.
What has changed now?
The Election Commission’s latest action effectively separates the Form 6 process used during an ongoing SIR exercise from the regular voter enrolment process followed outside the SIR period.
In states where SIR has ended, applicants will now see the regular Form 6 without the additional SIR declaration on the ECINET portal.
In states where the revision exercise is still underway, however, the declaration remains part of the application process.
The distinction is intended to reflect the Election Commission’s September 26 decision that the statutory forms prescribed under the existing electoral rules would be used during non-SIR periods.
Why Form 6 is important
Form 6 plays a central role in the voter registration process. Citizens who are eligible to vote but whose names are not included in the electoral roll use the form to seek enrolment.
The controversy over the additional declaration therefore attracted attention because of the statutory nature of the form and the process required to modify it.
The Election Commission’s latest change means that, in states where SIR is no longer taking place, applicants will return to the regular Form 6 format. The SIR-related declaration will continue only in areas where the intensive revision exercise remains active.
The Election Commission has not indicated that the latest change alters the broader SIR exercise. Instead, it follows the Commission’s earlier announcement regarding the use of the prescribed statutory forms outside the SIR period.
The development is expected to bring greater clarity to the voter enrolment process across states at different stages of the SIR exercise.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
