New Delhi, October 6, 2026 – The Supreme Court of India has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to produce official records related to changes in Form 6, the statutory application used for enrolling new voters, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, made the observation on Monday (October 5) while hearing petitions challenging aspects of the SIR process and alleged unilateral decisions by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The CJI clearly stated: “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 (it).” The court emphasised that it wants to examine the underlying records to determine the nature of any changes and who authorised them.
Form 6 is the prescribed form under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, for citizens seeking inclusion in the electoral rolls. Controversy arose after an additional declaration was introduced in the online version of the form (on portals such as ECINet/ERONet) during the SIR exercise. This declaration required applicants to state whether their own name, or that of a parent or grandparent, appeared in an earlier SIR-era electoral roll.
The ECI had earlier stated in a September 26 press note that “the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” referring to the court’s May 2026 judgment on the Bihar SIR. For non-SIR periods, the Commission said the original forms under the 1960 Rules would apply. The Supreme Court’s clarification directly addressed this claim.
The bench issued notices on related petitions, including one seeking examination of original ECI records, and tagged them with other pleas concerning the functioning of the Election Commission. It declined to pass an interim order suspending CEC Gyanesh Kumar but noted that it would examine all decisions and annul any found not in accordance with the law.
This development adds a significant judicial dimension to the broader political and legal debate over the SIR process, allegations of large-scale voter deletions, and questions about decision-making within the Election Commission. The court is expected to scrutinise the records once submitted by the ECI.
The matter remains under active consideration, with further hearings anticipated after the records are produced.