Full Breakdown
Form 6 Controversy: Supreme Court Refutes Election Commission’s Claim
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 5 2026, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant told a three-judge bench that the Supreme Court had not approved any modification to Form 6, the voter-registration application used during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Court will examine records to determine who, if anyone, altered the form. The remark followed accusations that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had changed Form 6, and an Election Commission fact-check that labelled Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s claim as “misleading”.
Background & Context
Form 6 is prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules 1960. The SIR, a nationwide voter-roll clean-up, began with an order for Bihar on June 24 2025 and later expanded to other states. In July 2026 the ECI’s portal added a new declaration asking applicants whether they, their parents or grandparents appeared on the previous SIR roll. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected 14 times between May 16 2026 and August 13 2026, arguing that any change to Form 6 required amendment of the 1960 rules by the Union government.
The Supreme Court upheld the Bihar SIR in a May 27 2026 judgment, noting the Commission’s residual authority to frame documentation for a special revision, but it did not endorse the additional declaration.
Data & Statistics
- June 24 2025 – Bihar SIR order issued with unanimous Commission approval.
- May 27 2026 – Supreme Court upheld the Bihar SIR judgment.
- September 26 2026 – ECI press note cited Supreme Court “upholding” of the SIR declaration.
- August 13 2026 – Commissioner Sandhu recorded the declaration as “unauthorised and illegal”.
- September 30 2026 – ECI removed the additional declaration from online Form 6 in states where SIR had concluded.
Official Statements & Responses
- The ECI issued a fact-check on October 5 2026, calling Gandhi’s post “misleading” and reiterating that the Bihar SIR order was unanimously approved and upheld by the Supreme Court.
- The Supreme Court clarified that it had not approved any modified Form 6 and will examine the record to identify who, if anyone, made changes.
- The Press Information Bureau confirmed the September 26 2026 press release remains publicly available, refuting claims that it was removed.
Criticism & Opposition
- Jairam Ramesh, Congress communication chief, called the CEC’s actions “betraying the Constitution” and alleged the changes were designed to delete Gen Z voters.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Supreme Court position: On October 5 2026 the Court explicitly said no modification was approved, contradicting the ECI’s earlier citation of the Court’s May 27 judgment.
- The ECI has not disclosed who authorised the additional declaration nor provided the legal basis for its introduction, leaving a gap in the institutional record.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let’s be clear. When the record is produced, we would like to see who has modified.” — CJI Surya Kant
- “Obviously and very clearly the CEC lied. Form 6 was deliberately modified by the CEC himself to delete Gen Z voters of whom the PM is simply terrified,” — Mr. Ramesh, Congress communication chief
What’s Next
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the ECI, the Centre, CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and the two other Election Commissioners. The bench will review the Commission’s records and may annul any decision found to be “ultra vires”. No interim order suspending the CEC was granted, so the ECI’s SIR process continues pending the Court’s final determination.