New applicants looking to join the electoral rolls must now provide information regarding their parents’ status from the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The Election Commission has deemed this declaration mandatory for online voter registration, according to official statements. The requirement has been added to Form 6, which is the statutory form designed for first-time voters, newly eligible citizens, and those seeking to re-enrol after being removed from the rolls.

Officials mention that, although the form has not been formally revised through a gazette notification, the new requirement has been implemented via administrative instructions. This means that applicants cannot submit Form 6 online without completing this declaration section, which queries whether either the applicant or their parents appeared in the electoral rolls prepared during the last SIR exercise.

Specifics of the Declaration

The new declaration is positioned between Parts J and K of the online Form 6, which can be accessed on the ECINET portal. Applicants must choose from three options regarding their names and those of their parents or grandparents in the previous SIR electoral roll. They can indicate whether their own name exists in the prior rolls, whether a parent or grandparent’s name is present, or if neither they nor their parents were listed.

If applicants select either of the first two options, they must provide details such as the Assembly constituency, polling booth number, and their serial number from the previous SIR records. Should they lack this information, they may select the third option. However, the portal does not clarify the repercussions of choosing that alternative.

This declaration was first introduced during the Bihar SIR exercise that commenced in June last year. Since then, it has been incorporated into voter registration protocols in various states and Union Territories where SIR has taken place. According to an Election Commission official, this development aids in mapping electors more effectively and reduces the need for new voters to submit extensive supporting documents with their applications.

Ongoing Nationwide SIR Exercises

The introduction of this declaration occurs against the backdrop of a nationwide initiative led by the Election Commission aimed at conducting SIR exercises. The objectives of these exercises are to identify eligible voters and remove names from voter lists that belong to duplicate, deceased, absent, or foreign electors. The SIR process has already been completed in states like West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, with ongoing revisions in other regions.

This revision process has garnered significant attention due to the large-scale deletions of voter names from the electoral rolls. Questions have emerged regarding the implications for new applicants, as well as for family members of those whose names have been removed. Under current electoral regulations, Form 6 already requires applicants to submit details about family members residing with them, including their Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.

Although the newly added declaration extends this requirement by seeking connections to previous SIR rolls, no formal amendment to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, has yet been officially notified. The integration of this measure may impact the registration experience for prospective voters as they navigate the updated procedures.

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