The Election Commission has followed up on its Supreme Court affidavit and separated the new voter enrolment form and an accompanying declaration in its online version in states where the SIR exercise is underway.In September, it had already withdrawn the declaration from its digital platforms in states where the special intensive revision of voters’ (SIR) list has been completed.
Form 6 is filled by those seeking inclusion in the voters’ list. Since the Bihar SIR, the poll authority has added a declaration form seeking SIR details of parents of those filling Form 6. While in the offline or physical mode, citizens have to fill the two separately, in the online version a single OTP for the two documents had led to suggestions that the EC had tweaked Form 6 without the approval of the Union law ministry.
EC officials said on Wednesday that the submission process of the prescribed statutory Form 6 and Declaration used under the earlier process has been revised. “Previously, Form 6 and the accompanying declaration were submitted together using a single OTP and e-Sign for the operational convenience of applicants. Under the revised process, each must be submitted separately, requiring a separate OTP verification and e-Sign. Applicants must complete both steps for successful submission,” a senior functionary told PTI.
In its recent counter affidavit in the top court, the EC had said that according to an October 21 decision of its electoral roll division, “similar to physical submissions, online applications in Form 6 shall also be divided into two distinct parts: Form 6 as prescribed in the Rules; and the SIR Declaration.
On Tuesday, the EC said that previously enrolled voters can submit Form 6 for inclusion as electors if their names are missing from draft SIR rolls. The clarification comes amid concerns among previous electors that submitting Form 6, which carries a declaration that the applicant is seeking inclusion for the first time, could amount to making a false declaration and invite prosecution under provisions of the electoral law.
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