Supreme Court scrutinizes ECI's unilateral modification of Form 6 amid electoral roll revision concerns

Hindustan Times - India · 6 Oct 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Polity and constitution High relevance

The Supreme Court sought records from the Election Commission regarding unauthorized modifications to Form 6, the statutory voter registration form, raising critical questions about adherence to electoral laws and the ECI's decision-making process.

Key points

Form 6 is the statutory application under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, for voter registration, which the ECI allegedly modified without following due process.

The Supreme Court clarified it never approved any modifications to Form 6, demanding records to identify who authorized the changes, highlighting judicial oversight over electoral processes.

The modified online Form 6 introduced new requirements, including declarations about ancestors' names in previous electoral rolls, potentially disenfranchising first-time voters and those whose names were deleted in earlier revisions.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has led to over 13 crore deletions nationwide, with the modified Form 6 creating additional barriers for re-enrollment of deleted voters.

[GS2-Polity] The controversy tests the ECI's constitutional independence under Article 324 and its adherence to statutory procedures under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

The ECI claims the modifications were specific to the SIR period, but critics argue this bypasses the statutory requirement for parliamentary notification under Section 28 of the RP Act, 1950.

[GS3-Governance] The case highlights systemic issues in electoral governance, particularly the lack of transparency in decision-making processes within constitutional bodies like the ECI.

The ECI has withdrawn the additional declaration in states where SIR is completed, indicating responsiveness to criticism but raising questions about inconsistent application of rules.

This connects to recent controversies over the ECI's functioning, including mass voter deletions and allegations of partisanship in the SIR exercise, as covered in previous EdMe articles.

Way Forward: The ECI should establish clear protocols for any form modifications, ensuring parliamentary oversight where required. It must implement uniform voter registration standards nationwide and strengthen internal mechanisms to prevent unilateral decisions that could compromise electoral integrity.

Key terms

Representation of the People Act, 1950

The foundational law governing electoral rolls in India. Section 28 mandates that rules for elector registration can only be amended by the central government after consulting the ECI, with such amendments requiring parliamentary notification.

Form 6

The statutory application prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, for inclusion of names in electoral rolls. Its modification requires parliamentary approval under Section 28 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, making this a significant constitutional issue regarding electoral governance.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

A special drive by the Election Commission to comprehensively revise electoral rolls, often leading to large-scale deletions. The current controversy highlights how SIR exercises can impact voter enfranchisement if not conducted with proper safeguards and transparency.

Article 324

Constitutional provision vesting superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the Election Commission. The current case tests the limits of this power, particularly whether it allows unilateral modifications to statutory forms without following due process.