Election Commission Clarifies Form 6 Changes Amid Political Row

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday clarified allegations that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had unilaterally made changes to Form 6, which citizens use to register as voters.

The ECI said no changes had been made to Form 6. It explained that, during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar, it had only directed applicants on June 24, 2025, to submit an additional declaration along with the form. The Commission said the declaration had also been upheld by the Supreme Court in a judgment delivered in May this year. The ECI added that the same clarification had already been provided in its recent press release.

Under the declaration, a person applying for voter registration had to clarify whether their own name, their parents’ names, or their grandparents’ names appeared in the previous SIR electoral records.

The ECI said the declaration was sought only while the SIR process was underway. It was not required after completion of the SIR process or in states where no SIR was being conducted. However, it is noteworthy that the Commission has since removed the declaration from its online portals.