Full Breakdown
Election Commission Defends SIR Roll Revision, Asserts No Change to Form 6 and Unanimous Decision-Making
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Election Commission of India (ECI) filed a counter-affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that all three Special Intensive Revision (SIR) orders—June 24 2025, October 27 2025 and May 14 2026—were approved unanimously by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. The affidavit rejects claims that the statutory voter-registration form (Form 6) was amended and explains that the additional “declaration” required for the SIR is a separate document.
Background & Context
Form 6, prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules 1960, is the application for first-time voters. During the SIR the ECI added an annexed declaration to map applicants to entries in earlier rolls (2002-03). *The Indian Express* reported that Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi objected at least 14 times, calling the online inclusion “unauthorised/illegal” and alleging they were not consulted. The report triggered protests and petitions demanding judicial review of the Commission’s internal decision-making.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 24 2025 | First SIR order launched in Bihar. |
| October 27 2025 | Second SIR order issued. |
| May 14 2026 | Third SIR order issued. |
| September 25 | *The Indian Express* investigation published. |
| October 5 | Supreme Court hearing notes it has not ruled on the modified Form 6. |
| October 26 | ECI files counter-affidavit asserting unanimous approval. |
| October 21 2026 | Online application split into Form 6 and the SIR declaration. |
| July 28 2026 | Work-allocation order issued (later not implemented). |
| July 30 2026 | Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi direct the order not be implemented. |
| September 26 2026 | Booth-Level Officers to collect documents from notified voters. |
| November 5 2026 | Supreme Court to hear further arguments. |
| November 16 2026 | Deadline for finalising Maharashtra voter list. |
Data & Statistics
- Three SIR orders were issued.
- Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi recorded at least 14 objections.
- In Goa, 97 voters were initially left off the roll; 88 later re-applied, six were abroad, three held Portuguese passports.
- Maharashtra’s petition cites roughly 3 crore voters removed from draft rolls, with 1.22 crore flagged for “logical discrepancy.”
Official Statements & Responses
The affidavit emphasizes that:
- Only the Central Government can amend Form 6; the Commission did not change the statutory form.
- The SIR declaration is a separate document introduced to facilitate “mapping” of applicants, reducing the need for additional paperwork.
- Decisions circulate through a file-circulation system, bearing the signatures of all three members; urgent approvals may be electronic and recorded later.
- An expert committee (IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IISc Bengaluru) will review ECINet portal compliance, which can modify entries only on the order of an Electoral Registration Officer.
Criticism & Opposition
- *The Indian Express* reported that Sandhu and Joshi called the online declaration “unauthorised/illegal” and said they were not apprised of the decisions.
- Petitioners, including activist Rakesh Kumar Singh and opposition leaders, argue the unilateral declaration could mislead applicants and breach the unanimity requirement under Section 18 of the 2023 Act.