Sukhvinder 4Loktantra

Why is ECI forcing millions of people to file a false declaration that carries criminal penalties? Last week our petition, challenging the requirement that voters deleted during Delhi SIR should fill Form 6, was mentioned in the Supreme Court. Form 6 includes a declaration that: “I am applying for inclusion in Electoral Roll for the first time...”, and a false declaration is punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, with imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both. Now, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Maharashtra has sent a proposal to the ECI to amend Form 6 so that voters deleted during the SIR can apply to get back on the electoral roll without declaring that they are enrolling “for the first time”. Our petition in the SC highlights that- - Over 47 lakh voters deleted under the Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate (ASDD) category, have no other mechanism of applying for restoration of their name on the voter list other than filling Form 6, which is meant only for first time voters. - ⁠ The changes made to Form 6 & 8 (additional declaration) through the SIR guidelines is illegal, as the statutory process for making such additions/ amendments has not been followed. - ⁠The prescription of different forms for applying for name inclusion during SIR and non-SIR periods is legally not tenable. The CJI led bench agreed to hear the matter on October 28 and indicated that they will pass an order addressing the concerns.