EC Adds Fresh Declaration To Online Form 6 For Voter Enrolment

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has added a fresh declaration to the online version of Form 6, the application used for enrolment in the electoral rolls. The declaration requires applicants to specify whether they or their parents were included in the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter lists.

As per The Indian Express, the new provision is available only on the ECINET portal and does not appear in the statutory Form 6 meant for offline submissions. The report said the declaration has been inserted between Parts J and K of the online application. Although it is not marked as compulsory, applicants are unable to proceed with their submission unless they complete the section.

The portal asks applicants to state whether their own name featured in the electoral roll prepared during the previous SIR, whether a parent or grandparent was listed, or whether neither they nor their immediate family members appeared in that revision.

Those who indicate that they or a parent were included must also furnish the relevant Assembly constituency, polling station and electoral roll serial number. The report said applicants who do not possess these details are left with the option of declaring that neither they nor their parents were listed. It added that the portal offers no explanation on how such cases would be assessed.

New Enrolment Rules

The additional declaration is presently available only in states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise has either been completed during 2025-26 or is currently in progress. Bihar, where the revision exercise first commenced last year, and Assam, where the EC has decided against conducting the exercise, are not covered.

The change comes as the EC continues its Special Intensive Revision across the country. According to the report, more than 5.58 crore names have been removed from the electoral rolls in 10 states and three Union Territories. West Bengal alone accounted for over 27 lakh deletions, while numerous appeals against the removals are still awaiting disposal before electoral tribunals.

The report further noted that Parliament amended the electoral law in 2021 to permit the collection of Aadhaar details from voters. The following year, the Law Ministry notified corresponding amendments to the Registration of Electors Rules and revised Form 6 through a Gazette notification.

What Is Form 6 ?

Form 6 is the ECI's official application for fresh enrolment in the electoral roll. During the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), it plays a key role in updating voter lists. It allows first-time voters aged 18 and above to register.

It is also used by those whose names were left out during the door-to-door verification. Citizens who have shifted permanently to another constituency must also file Form 6. Those applying online through the ECINET or Voter Service Portal must complete a mandatory SIR declaration. This helps prevent duplicate entries and keeps the electoral rolls accurate and up to date.