New Delhi – Opposition stalwart Rahul Gandhi has publicly urged the Election Commission to reveal the identity of the official who ordered Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to embed a new clause in the digital Form 6, as well as the TCS executive who signed off on the change. Gandhi’s demand comes at a time when the EC is locked in a dispute with opposition parties over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
SIR‑Specific Question Inserted into Form 6
The controversy revolves around an extra declaration that appeared on the online Form 6 during the SIR exercise. The added line asks prospective voters to confirm whether their own name or that of a family member has ever featured on an earlier electoral roll.
The Election Commission counters that the statutory Form 6 was not altered; the additional query was introduced solely for the SIR process.
EC Strips the Extra Clause Where SIR Is Concluded
After completing the roll‑revision in several states and Union territories, the Commission has removed the SIR‑specific declaration from the Form 6 interface on the ECINET portal and on the respective Chief Electoral Officer websites. In jurisdictions where the SIR exercise is still ongoing, the supplemental question remains active. Voters in areas where the revision has finished must now complete the original Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Why Form 6 Matters for New Voter Registrations
Form 6 is the official document through which eligible citizens apply to have their names entered on the electoral roll. The Election Commission’s Citizen Service Portal also provides an online channel for filing a Form 6 application.
This episode has become another flashpoint in the wider political debate over the SIR operation, with opposition parties pressing the Election Commission for greater transparency about any changes to roll‑revision methods or voter‑registration procedures.
