Continued from P1

The EC, however, has maintained that its decisions on SIR and Form 6 were unanimously approved by all three commissioners. In a clarification issued on September 26, the poll panel said the SIR declaration attached to Form 6 had been upheld by the Supreme Court and that the forms prescribed under the 1960 Rules would be used during periods when SIR is not underway.

Earlier, a new voter applying for inclusion in the electoral roll was not required to provide details of their parents or grandparents from previous SIR rolls.

That additional requirement was introduced for Form 6 applications during the SIR exercise. Applicants were required to provide information to establish their linkage with earlier electoral rolls, including details concerning their parents or grandparents. With SIR completed in a state, the additional declaration will no longer be required for new voter applications there.

The EC has said SIR has already been completed in 20 states and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. Young and first-time voters, as well as people whose names were left out during SIR or subsequently, can apply for inclusion through continuous updation.

The requirement will continue in states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise is still underway. New voters applying for enrolment in these areas will have to submit Form 6 along with the SIR-related declaration, including the details required to establish their linkage with the previous electoral roll.

This creates a distinction between voter enrolment during an ongoing SIR exercise and enrolment during the period of continuous updation after SIR has been completed.