The Election Commission of India (ECI) has withdrawn the additional declaration linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) from the online Form 6 used by eligible citizens to apply for inclusion in the electoral rolls.
The declaration will not be required in states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise has already been completed or where it has not yet begun. However, it continues to remain available on the ECINET portal in states and Union Territories where the SIR process is currently underway.
According to sources, the decision was taken unanimously at a meeting of the full Election Commission on September 26. The Commission decided that there would be no change to the statutory Form 6 during the SIR exercise or during the non-SIR period.
Additional Declaration Linked to SIR
The additional declaration had been introduced for applicants in states where SIR was being conducted under the Commission’s June 24, 2025, order. It required new applicants to provide details linking themselves, their parents or grandparents with electoral rolls prepared during an earlier intensive revision.
The ECI had said on September 26 that the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court, while forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be used during the non-SIR period.
In states where the SIR exercise has concluded, the additional declaration has now been removed from the ECINET app and portal, as well as from the respective Chief Electoral Officer portals. Applicants in these states are required to fill only the statutory Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Changes to Form 6 Had Triggered Controversy
The development comes amid reports of differences within the poll panel over changes related to Form 6. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had reportedly raised objections to aspects of the changes.
According to reports, Joshi had raised the view that the form prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, could not be modified without an amendment to the rules. Sandhu had concurred with him.
The issue was also discussed in the wider controversy over internal differences within the Election Commission. The ECI, however, stated on September 26 that all SIR orders and changes to Form 6 had received unanimous approval from the three-member Commission. It also said that differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations.
Form 6 Used for New Voter Enrolment
Form 6 is the statutory application used by eligible citizens seeking inclusion in the electoral roll. The Election Commission’s voter services system provides facilities for new voter registration and other electoral services.
Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, writing in The Tribune on September 29, questioned the ECI’s explanation regarding the two versions of Form 6 and raised concerns about the additional information sought through the SIR declaration. These were his views and criticisms of the process.
The latest decision means that applicants in states where SIR has concluded, or where the exercise has not started, will use the regular statutory Form 6 without the additional SIR declaration, while the declaration remains part of the process in states and Union Territories where SIR is currently underway.