Congress alleges CEC altered Form 6 'illegally' during SIR, demands resignation

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday (October 5, 2026) accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of illegally modifying Form 6 — the application through which an eligible person seeks inclusion in the electoral roll for the first time — during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in several States.

The allegation followed a statement by the Supreme Court that it had not approved any changes to the form, and the issuance of notices by the court to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Union government on a petition claiming the poll body had taken several decisions without the approval of the two other Election Commissioners.

Sharing a screenshot of an ECI statement dated September 26, 2026, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the Commission had stated: "The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. For non-SIR period, the Forms applicable as per Rules (the Registration of Electors Rules 1960) will be used."

Mr. Gandhi said it was "now established beyond doubt" that the CEC had changed Form 6 "illegally and unilaterally". He alleged that the change amounted to an abuse of position, and said those responsible would be held accountable. These are allegations made by a political party; they have not been established in any forum.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the resignation of the CEC, the annulment of the SIR and the conduct of elections through ballot papers were the party's "non-negotiable" demands. He said Congress workers and INDIA bloc partners were protesting on these issues in different parts of the country, and that the party stood in solidarity with civil society groups and youth organisations campaigning on them.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court now had "a remarkable opportunity to restore public confidence" in the ECI. Referring to the court's notices and its observation that it would annul decisions found not to be in accordance with law, he cited what he described as recent disclosures about the manner in which the SIR was being carried out, criticism from sitting and retired judges of the Supreme Court, and large-scale deletions without adequate due process.

In separate posts, Mr. Ramesh alleged that the CEC had not told the truth and that Form 6 had been deliberately modified to exclude young voters. These claims are contested and are the subject of proceedings before the Supreme Court.

What is Form 6 and the SIR? Form 6 is the application used by a first-time voter to seek enrolment. The SIR is an intensive, door-to-door verification and revision of electoral rolls carried out under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The declaration attached to Form 6 in SIR areas is at the centre of the present dispute.

What happens next: The Supreme Court has sought responses from the ECI and the Centre, and has indicated it will examine whether the decisions in question were taken in accordance with law. The ECI's stated position, as of September 26, is that the declaration attached to Form 6 for the SIR was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Congress's demands are political positions; the correctness of the allegations will be determined by the court and, ultimately, by the electoral process itself.

Elections are administered by an independent statutory body answerable to the law, and public confidence in that process depends on decisions being taken transparently and within the framework set by Parliament. Readers should note that the accusations and the responses to them remain contested claims rather than established findings.