NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been completed to conduct a “special drive” to enrol eligible voters who may have been left out of the revised rolls.
The directive, issued in writing on September 29 and reiterated during a video conference with State Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) on Thursday, comes amid concerns over names missing from electoral rolls following the SIR exercise.
Why has the Election Commission ordered a special drive?
According to data reported, nearly 13.3 crore names have been excluded from electoral rolls during the SIR process so far. Of these, around 9.5 crore, or more than 71 per cent, were categorised as “absent, shifted and others”. Around 2.7 crore names, or just over 20 per cent, were removed due to deaths, while approximately 1.01 crore, or 7.6 per cent, were identified as multiple entries.
The Election Commission has now asked officials in the 20 states and Union Territories where SIR has already been completed to identify eligible voters who may have been inadvertently left out.
The September 29 communication directed Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers to conduct a special drive for the enrolment of “left out” voters as well as young and first-time eligible electors through the process of continuous updation. Officials have also been instructed to compare the electoral rolls prepared before and after SIR and identify voters whose names were deleted during the exercise but who may still be eligible to remain on the rolls.
What is the Form 6 controversy?
The use of Form 6 during the SIR process has also been the subject of controversy. An investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on 14 occasions over a 10-month period to decisions taken in the Commission’s name without their knowledge, including changes related to Form 6.
In July, a separate declaration was added to the physical Form 6 in connection with the SIR exercise. The declaration sought details about whether an applicant or their parents were mapped to electoral rolls from the previous SIR. The online application also began requiring applicants to answer whether they or their parents had appeared on electoral rolls following the previous SIR before the application could be submitted.
Sandhu reportedly described the change as “unauthorised/illegal” in August, pointing out that Form 6 is attached to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and that amendments to the Rules fall within the Centre’s authority.
The Election Commission later clarified that Form 6 itself had not been amended. According to officials, the additional declaration was approved by the full Commission when the SIR process began in Bihar and was subsequently ratified for the second and third phases. Officials also attributed the online submission issue to changes made by the Election Commission’s IT department to avoid requiring applicants to e-sign twice.
Do voters have to submit the additional declaration now?
No. The Election Commission’s September 29 communication reportedly restricted the additional declaration to the SIR phase only. In states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise has already been completed, eligible first-time voters and those who were left out of the electoral rolls will use the regular statutory forms under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik also clarified that the declaration attached to Form 6 would be applicable during the SIR period, while the regular statutory forms would be used during the non-SIR period.
How to check if your name has been deleted from the voter list
Voters can check their registration status online through the Election Commission’s electoral search portal.
Step 1: Visit the Election Commission’s voter search portal.
Step 2: Select “Search in Electoral Roll.”
Step 3: Search for your name using any of the available options:
* EPIC number: Enter your Voter ID/EPIC number and select your state.
* Search by details: Enter your name, relative’s name, age, gender and Assembly constituency.
* Mobile number: Use your registered mobile number and verify it through OTP.
If your name appears in the electoral roll, your registration is active. If it does not appear, eligible voters can apply for enrolment through Form 6.
How to get your name added back to the voter list
Form 6 is generally used to register a person as a new elector. During the SIR exercise, it has also been used to re-enrol eligible voters whose names were left out of the revised electoral rolls.
Eligible voters can submit Form 6 online through the Election Commission’s voter services platform or through the Voter Helpline App. Those whose names were deleted but who continue to meet the eligibility requirements can therefore apply for inclusion through Form 6.
It is important to note that Form 8, rather than Form 6, is used when an existing voter shifts residence within the same constituency or moves to another constituency and seeks transfer of their electoral registration.
How to fill Form 6 online
Step 1: Visit the Election Commission’s voter services portal or use the Voter Helpline App.
Step 2: Select the option for new voter registration/Form 6.
Step 3: Enter the required personal and residential details.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, including proof of date of birth where applicable.
Step 5: Submit the application and note the acknowledgement/reference number to track its status.
Overseas Indian citizens seeking registration as overseas electors are required to use Form 6A.
How to submit Form 6 offline
Applicants can obtain Form 6 from the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) or Booth Level Officer (BLO). The form is also available through the Election Commission’s official channels.
The completed form, along with copies of the required documents, can be submitted personally to the concerned ERO/AERO, sent by post or handed over to the BLO of the relevant polling area. Voters can also contact 1950, the Election Commission’s voter helpline, for assistance.
Who can register as a voter?
A person can apply for enrolment if they meet the following basic conditions:
1. They are an Indian citizen.
2. They have attained the age of 18 years on one of the qualifying dates — January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1 — applicable to the revision of electoral rolls.
3. They are ordinarily resident in the constituency or polling area where they seek enrolment.
4. They are not otherwise disqualified from being registered as an elector.
What has the Election Commission asked state officials to do?
The Election Commission has instructed officials to take several steps to identify eligible voters who may have been left out during SIR. First, CEOs have been asked to compare the electoral roll that existed before SIR with the final roll prepared after the exercise and identify voters whose names were deleted.
Officials have also been directed to identify cases where voters may have been left out despite not being mapped elsewhere, being duplicates or being deceased.
In such cases, officials have reportedly been asked to visit voters’ homes and facilitate the filing of Form 6. The Election Commission has also asked state election authorities to seek assistance from political parties and their booth-level agents during the exercise.
The objective is to ensure that eligible voters who were inadvertently left out of the revised electoral rolls get an opportunity to have their names restored through the prescribed electoral registration process.
What should voters do if their name is missing?
If you find that your name is missing from the electoral roll after SIR, the first step is to verify your status through the Election Commission’s electoral search facility. If you are eligible but your name is not present, you can submit Form 6 through the voter services portal, Voter Helpline App or through the appropriate ERO/AERO/BLO.
The Election Commission’s latest direction indicates that the special drive is intended to identify and enrol eligible voters who may have been left out, while ensuring that the regular statutory process continues to apply outside the SIR phase.
