Supreme Court Rebukes Election Commission Over Form-6 Changes in Bihar SIR Process

The Supreme Court of India has questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its claim that the court had approved changes to Form-6, which is used by eligible citizens to register as voters. During a hearing on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant clarified that the revised form was not in existence when the court delivered its earlier judgment on the Bihar SIR. The court said it had neither approved nor adjudicated upon the revised Form-6 declaration and indicated that it would examine the Election Commission’s records to determine who authorised the changes.

The issue arose after the Election Commission reportedly stated in a September 26 press release that the Supreme Court had upheld the Form-6 declaration. The petitioner’s counsel alleged that changes were introduced without amending the relevant statutory rules and that the commission had incorrectly suggested that the court had approved them. The petition also raised concerns over the decision-making process within the Election Commission. The court has sought records and indicated that the matter will be examined further. The allegations regarding the changes and the commission’s actions remain subject to judicial consideration.