The Election Commission has introduced a new rule for people applying to register as voters for the first time. Anyone submitting Form-6 to add their name to the electoral roll must now also provide details related to their parents’ Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
According to Election Commission officials, the rule applies not only to existing voters but also to all first-time applicants.
Why has the Election Commission introduced this rule?
The Commission says the new requirement will:
- Make it easier to identify new voters and verify their records.
- Reduce the number of documents applicants need to submit.
- Help identify duplicate, deceased, shifted and overseas voters.
- Ensure applicants cannot complete the online Form-6 process without submitting the required declaration.
Declaration form now mandatory with Form-6
Election Commission officials said the declaration form was first introduced with Form-6 during the SIR drive launched in Bihar in June 2025. New applicants were required to submit the declaration along with their application.
The Commission clarified that Form-6 has not been formally amended. Instead, the declaration has been made mandatory through official instructions.
EC responds to UN concerns
The Election Commission has rejected concerns raised by UN Special Rapporteurs over the transparency of the SIR process.
The Commission said SIR is a fully constitutional and transparent exercise aimed at including all eligible Indian citizens in the electoral roll while removing ineligible names. It added that no community is being discriminated against and that anyone whose name is removed is given an opportunity to challenge the decision.
Latest update on SIR
The Election Commission is carrying out the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in three phases.
- Phase One: SIR was first conducted in Bihar. The final electoral roll has been published, and the matter was later heard by the Supreme Court.
- Phase Two: The exercise was expanded to Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.
- Phase Three: The Commission has now launched SIR in 16 states and three Union Territories. These are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chandigarh.
Bhaskar Knowledge
Form-6 is the official application form used by eligible Indian citizens aged 18 or above to register as a voter for the first time or to add their name to the electoral roll after moving to a different constituency.
The form can be submitted through the Voter Helpline App, the Election Commission’s website, or via the Booth Level Officer (BLO) or the local Election Office.
