1 day ago
Ex-CEC Quraishi Challenges ECI Form 6 Directive Over Deleted Voters
The Election Commission is checking voter lists after many names were missing from a new draft list.
It told local election workers to visit people whose names were on an older list but not the current one.
The workers were asked to help eligible people use a form called Form 6.
Former election chief SY Quraishi says this form is meant for people registering to vote for the first time.
He argues that it should not be used to restore names that were already on the voter list.
Quraishi also accused officials who required the form of helping commit a possible crime.
The Election Commission has announced special enrollment drives for people left out of the rolls and for new voters.
The dispute is part of wider political criticism of the voter-list revision process.
Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi criticized the Election Commission of India’s handling of deleted voter names during the Special Intensive Revision.
Quraishi said Form 6 is intended for new voters and cannot properly restore names removed from existing electoral rolls.
An October 1 ECI press note instructed Booth Level Officers to identify missing former electors and facilitate enrolment through Form 6 when eligible.
The directive requires house-to-house visits, coverage of 20–25 electors weekly, and completion of the exercise in about a month.
Quraishi alleged that officials who forced deleted voters to use Form 6 could be abetting a criminal offence; the ECI has announced drives for left-out and first-time voters.
- Who
- Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi and the Election Commission of India, including Booth Level Officers.
- What
- A dispute over the ECI’s instruction to help eligible voters missing from current rolls enroll through Form 6 during the Special Intensive Revision.
- Where
- Across states and Union Territories covered by the electoral-roll revision exercise.
- When
- Quraishi made the remarks on Friday; the referenced ECI press note was issued on October 1.
- Why
- The ECI says the process is intended to identify and facilitate enrollment of eligible electors left out of the current roll, while Quraishi disputes the use of Form 6 for restoring deleted voters.
Quraishi’s criticism
ECI’s stated process
Use of Form 6
Quraishi’s criticism
Quraishi says Form 6 is intended for new voters and cannot be used to restore names of voters deleted from an existing roll.
ECI’s stated process
The ECI directed Booth Level Officers to facilitate enrollment through Form 6 for eligible electors whose names appeared on the earlier roll but are missing from the current one.
Responsibility for the process
Quraishi’s criticism
Quraishi alleged that officials who forced deleted voters to fill Form 6 could be abettors to a criminal offence.
ECI’s stated process
The ECI press note presents the activity as an administrative house-to-house verification and enrollment exercise.
Purpose of special drives
Quraishi’s criticism
Critics have linked the exercise to concerns over large-scale voter deletions and alleged divisions within the poll panel.
ECI’s stated process
The ECI says its special drives are intended to assist left-out voters as well as young and first-time eligible electors.
Key facts
- Main critic
- Former Chief Election Commissioner Dr SY Quraishi
- Agency involved
- Election Commission of India
- Revision exercise
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- ECI instruction
- Booth Level Officers should identify former electors missing from the current roll and facilitate Form 6 enrollment where eligible.
- Required pace
- At least 20–25 electors per week
- Target timeline
- Completion in about one month
- Reported scale of deletions
- Claims cited in the article say around 13 crore names were removed from draft rolls across states and Union Territories.
Quotes
Dr SY Quraishi
Former Chief Election Commissioner of India who criticized the Election Commission’s SIR directive
“All those who have been forced to fill it have committed criminal offence carrying 1 yr prison. EC officials who forced them are abetters to crime. This press note shows ECI’s abetment!”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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