Maharashtra CEO Form 6 Proposal ECI: Officials Seek Clause Change

maharashtra ceo form 6 proposal eci

Election officials in Maharashtra have formally asked the Election Commission of India to amend a legal clause in Form 6, the document used by voters whose names were removed from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The request follows recent court rulings that clarify how Form 6 may be used.

Delhi SIR: High Court Allows Voters Whose Names Were Deleted From Electoral Rolls To Apply Through Form…

The Delhi High Court recently dismissed a petition by two voters whose entries were deleted after they missed the SIR enumeration. The court held that the fear of being accused of false declaration when filing Form 6 was unfounded and directed that the applicants may submit Form 6 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

HC: Fear of false declaration for using new voter registration form after SIR exclusion is misplaced

During the hearing, the petitioners argued that submitting Form 6 would constitute a false statement. The bench, comprising Justices Dinesh Mehta and Aditi Choudhary, rejected this concern, noting that the suggestion to use Form 6 came from the Election Commission’s standing counsel on the Electoral Registration Officer’s instructions.

Maharashtra Election Officials Ask ECI to Change Legal Clause in Form 6

In Maharashtra, the Chief Electoral Officer’s office submitted a proposal to the ECI seeking a revision of the clause that governs the correction of names deleted during SIR. The officials argue that the current wording creates procedural uncertainty for affected voters.

While the Delhi judgment provides a precedent that Form 6 can be used without fear of penal action, Maharashtra’s proposal aims to pre‑empt similar grievances by clarifying the legal language before further disputes arise.

What may happen next?

The ECI will review the Maharashtra proposal alongside its existing guidelines. If the commission adopts the suggested amendment, voters whose names were removed in the SIR could correct their entries through Form 6 with clearer procedural safeguards. Until then, the Delhi High Court’s decision remains the primary authority on the matter.

Sources: Live Law, Scroll.in, TheWire.in.