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Supreme Court Says Modified Form 6 Was Not Approved
Form 6 is used by people applying to become voters.
The Election Commission added a declaration for some new voter applications during a voter-roll review.
The declaration asks applicants to connect their details to older records for their parents or grandparents.
The Election Commission says it did not change Form 6 itself.
Chief Justice Surya Kant said the Supreme Court had not approved the modified form.
He said the court would examine the issue after it receives and reviews the records.
The hearing also involved a petition about whether the Chief Election Commissioner made decisions alone.
A newspaper report said two other election commissioners had objected to some voter-roll decisions.
Chief Justice Surya Kant said the Supreme Court had not approved the modified Form 6.
The court said it would examine the issue after reviewing records and would look into who amended the form.
The Election Commission of India said Form 6 itself was not amended; it added a declaration for the Special Intensive Revision.
The declaration, added in July, asked new voters to link their details to parental or grandparent records in earlier electoral rolls.
The hearing concerned a petition alleging the Chief Election Commissioner acted alone on powers assigned to the multi-member Election Commission.
- Who
- Chief Justice Surya Kant, the Election Commission of India, and petitioners questioning the Chief Election Commissioner’s actions.
- What
- The Supreme Court said it had not approved a modified Form 6 and would examine the issue after reviewing records.
- Where
- The Supreme Court of India.
- When
- At a Supreme Court hearing; the declaration was added in July, and the article also refers to reports and statements dated September 25 and September 29.
- Why
- A petition questioned whether Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar exercised powers assigned to the multi-member Election Commission, amid a dispute over an added declaration for new voters.
Petitioners and concerns raised
Election Commission’s position
Whether Form 6 was amended
Petitioners and concerns raised
The dispute raises questions about the legal basis for adding the declaration; the article cites a reported Law Ministry response saying it had no information about an ECI proposal to amend Form 6 or its governing rules.
Election Commission’s position
The ECI says Form 6 itself was not amended and that it added only an extra declaration for the Special Intensive Revision.
Who made decisions
Petitioners and concerns raised
The petition asks whether Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar exercised powers assigned to the full, multi-member Election Commission; a newspaper report said two commissioners objected to decisions and orders.
Election Commission’s position
The article does not provide a response from the ECI to the allegation that the Chief Election Commissioner acted alone.
Key facts
- Form 6
- A form used to register as a new voter.
- Court position
- Chief Justice Surya Kant said the modified Form 6 had not been approved by the Supreme Court.
- Election Commission position
- The ECI said Form 6 itself was not amended; it added an extra declaration for the voter-roll cleanup exercise.
- Declaration
- It asks new voters to link their details to parental or grandparent records in previous electoral rolls.
- Relevant rules
- Form 6 is part of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which can be changed only through an amendment.
- Petition
- It questions whether Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar acted alone on powers assigned to the multi-member poll body.
- Reported objections
- The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over 10 months to some Special Intensive Revision decisions and orders.
Quotes
Surya Kant
Chief Justice of India
“The modified Form 6 has not been approved by us. This is clear.”
NDTV
Saket Gokhale
Trinamool Congress member of Parliament
“How can the Supreme Court uphold an action by ECI that has not even been taken yet?”
NDTV
Sources
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