ECI Issues Key Clarification on Form 6 Applications

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued an important clarification regarding Form 6 applications for voter registration. It stated that individuals whose names are missing from the draft electoral rolls can apply for fresh voter registration by submitting Form 6. The Commission also clarified that submitting Form 6 again does not amount to an offence, even if the applicant was previously registered as a voter. In this regard, the ECI has written to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states, providing instructions on how such applications should be handled.

The clarification comes amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country. The ECI said that existing voters whose names are missing from the draft list need not worry about the declaration in Form 6 that identifies an applicant as a first-time voter. It instructed state election officials not to initiate criminal proceedings under Section 31 merely because an already registered voter submits the form again. However, the Commission made it clear that applicants must not have their names registered in another constituency.