Congress seeks Supreme Court action over alleged unilateral changes to voter enrolment form

The Congress has accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of violating the law and constitutional practice by unilaterally changing Form 6, the application used by people seeking inclusion in electoral rolls. The party has urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the issue. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday that the Election Commission had added a mandatory section requiring applicants to provide details relating to their parents or grandparents in the previous Special Intensive Revision, or SIR.

He said this created a barrier for young and first-time voters. Mr. Ramesh alleged that the online form was changed in early July without an official notification.

He argued that the Election Commission did not have the authority to amend Form 6, saying that power rested with the Union government under the Representation of the People Act, 1950. He further claimed that the change was made without amending the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. According to him, such an amendment would require action by the Union government and proper intimation to Parliament.

He called for the Chief Election Commissioner to resign and said the Supreme Court should hold him accountable. The allegations come amid a wider dispute over the electoral-roll revision exercise in Bihar. After the online process was changed, existing voters were required to provide details connected with the SIR, while applicants seeking inclusion were also required to cite those details.

An Election Commission functionary, however, said the Form 6 document had not been amended. The declaration was added through instructions, the official said, although online applicants cannot proceed without completing it. Poll panel officials also said that 2.37 crore electors aged between 18 and 28 had been added since the SIR exercise began in Bihar in June.