Supreme Court clarifies it neither approved nor disapproved ECI's revised Form 6
The Supreme Court clarified that it neither approved nor disapproved the Election Commission's revised voter registration Form 6, noting the issue was never formally considered during the Bihar electoral rolls case.
The Supreme Court clarified that it neither approved nor disapproved the Election Commission's revised voter registration Form 6, noting the issue was never formally considered during the Bihar electoral rolls case.
The Supreme Court clarified that it neither approved nor disapproved the Election Commission's revised voter registration Form 6, noting the issue was never formally considered during the Bihar electoral rolls case.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that it had neither approved nor disapproved the Election Commission of India's (ECI) revised Form 6 for voter registration, saying the issue had never been brought before it for consideration. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the revised form did not exist when the court heard the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls case. It added that its observations on October 5 could not be construed as either approval or disapproval of the modification.
"What was said was that when the Bihar SIR matter was before us, the new Form 6 was not there. That does not mean it was either approved or disapproved by the Supreme Court," Justice Bagchi said.
The clarification came after a petitioner alleged that the ECI had represented the revised Form 6 as having the Supreme Court's approval. The counsel referred to the court's October 5 observations and sought directions on the matter. "There was no application concerning the new Form 6. That is all we have said. Whether approved or not approved. Don't pick up words like this only for yourself, please," the Chief Justice told the counsel.
Form 6 is used by people seeking to register as voters for the first time. The revised form has become controversial after the ECI introduced an additional declaration requiring applicants to state whether their own name, or that of a parent or grandparent, appeared on an earlier SIR-era electoral roll.
Critics have argued that the requirement could create additional hurdles for first-time voters, particularly those whose families were absent from older electoral rolls. Questions have also been raised over whether the ECI could introduce the change without amending the relevant rules. According to media reports, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had also raised concerns over the declaration being introduced without an amendment to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The controversy intensified after the ECI stated in a September 26 press note that the additional declaration had been upheld by the Supreme Court. On October 5, the court said it had not approved the modification. On Monday, it clarified that since the revised form had not been placed before it for consideration, its observations should not be interpreted as endorsing or rejecting the change.