The controversy centres on an additional declaration inserted into the online version of Form 6 on the Election Commission’s ECINET portal. The declaration sought information linking a new applicant, their parents or grandparents to electoral rolls prepared during an earlier Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected to the change, saying Form 6 is a statutory form and cannot be altered without amendments to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Sandhu later called for the additional declaration to be removed and the original form restored.
The Election Commission has since removed the additional SIR-related declaration from Form 6 in states where the SIR process has been completed. The declaration remains on the portal in states where the revision exercise is still underway.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleges that the changes were “orchestrated” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. His allegation has not been independently established.
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks come amid a wider Opposition campaign over the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR exercise. The INDIA bloc has announced joint “Save Democracy” marches across districts and five major rallies, while also calling for future elections to be conducted using ballot papers and urging the Supreme Court to expedite cases related to SIR and alleged electoral irregularities.
The Opposition has also announced a march by its MPs to the Election Commission on 6 October and plans to meet President Droupadi Murmu to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
The INDIA bloc meeting also discussed the demand for chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, with Opposition leaders saying they would continue their campaign over the issue.
The developments follow an Indian Express report that election commissioners Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions and orders related to the SIR process. The report said the two commissioners had recorded objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that differences of opinion and observations are a normal part of deliberations within an institution. It has also said its orders have full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
The Form 6 controversy has therefore become another flashpoint in the wider dispute between the Opposition and the poll panel over the SIR exercise, electoral-roll revisions and the functioning of the ECINET system.
With PTI inputs
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