New Delhi, November 4, 2026: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has removed the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration from the online voter registration Form 6, following objections raised by two Election Commissioners. The change has now been implemented on the ECINet portal even in states where the SIR exercise is continuing.
Election Commission Separates SIR Declaration From Form 6
The Election Commission has removed the additional SIR-related declaration previously included between Sections J and K of the online Form 6.
The declaration required new voters to provide information about their own or their family members’ presence in electoral rolls during earlier Special Intensive Revision exercises.
The SIR declaration is now available as a separate document rather than being incorporated into the statutory voter registration form.
Two Election Commissioners Raised Legal Objections
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised concerns about the additional declaration.
Joshi recorded his objections in May 2026, arguing that the statutory form could not be modified without following the required legal procedure.
Sandhu subsequently described the change as unauthorised and called for its removal.
Their objections centred on the legal authority to modify a voter registration form prescribed under existing election rules.
Form 6 Governed by Election Registration Rules
Form 6 is used by eligible citizens to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls.
The form is prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and changes to its statutory structure require the appropriate legal process.
The Commissioners argued that the Election Commission could not independently alter the prescribed form through changes to its online portal.
Commission Explains Why Declaration Was Added
In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on October 26, the ECI explained that the declaration had been placed alongside Form 6 to simplify the online application process.
Combining the documents allowed applicants to complete the process using one OTP and one electronic signature instead of separate authentication steps.
The Commission maintained that it had not formally amended Form 6 but acknowledged that the online presentation could create the impression that the statutory form had been changed.
Supreme Court Had Not Approved Modified Form
The Election Commission had previously indicated that the SIR declaration was supported by Supreme Court proceedings.
However, on October 12, the Supreme Court clarified that it had neither approved nor disapproved the modified Form 6.
The Commission’s Electoral Roll Division subsequently decided on October 21 to separate the declaration from the statutory application.
Changes Now Apply Across SIR States
The removal was initially limited to states where the SIR exercise had concluded.
However, the latest change extends the separation to states where the exercise remains underway, including Delhi and Maharashtra.
Applicants can now access the statutory Form 6 and the SIR declaration as separate documents on the ECINet portal.
The change does not necessarily eliminate the requirement to submit the separate declaration wherever applicable.
Internal Disagreements Raise Questions
The Form 6 dispute forms part of a wider controversy involving objections recorded by the two Election Commissioners.
According to an investigation by The Indian Express, Sandhu and Joshi raised concerns on at least 14 occasions over approximately ten months.
Their objections involved electoral roll management, voter inclusion and deletion, administrative decisions and the functioning of the ECINet platform.
The Commission has maintained that these were part of its internal deliberative process and that major decisions were taken collectively.
ECI Introduces Additional Administrative Changes
Following the internal objections, the Election Commission has introduced several procedural changes.
These include circulating meeting agendas in advance, maintaining meeting records, reviewing new technology systems and establishing an audit mechanism for ECINet.
The measures are intended to improve administrative oversight and ensure compliance with electoral laws.
Focus Returns to Transparency in Voter Registration
The decision has renewed discussion about transparency, institutional accountability and the legal procedures governing electoral roll revisions.
The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR process is intended to improve the accuracy of voter lists.
With the declaration now separated from Form 6, attention will turn to how the revised registration process operates and whether further procedural changes are introduced.
Source: The Indian Express, India Today, The Tribune, Supreme Court Proceedings
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