The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made it mandatory for new voters applying online through Form 6 on the ECINET portal to declare whether they, their parents or grandparents were included in the electoral rolls prepared during the previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The requirement, introduced through administrative instructions rather than a formal amendment to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, means applicants cannot complete their online registration without filling in the new declaration.
Depending on their response, they may also have to provide details such as the Assembly constituency, polling booth number and serial number from the earlier SIR electoral roll. The EC says the move is intended to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls, simplify verification and reduce the need for additional documents.
However, the change has attracted attention because it has not yet been incorporated into the statutory Form 6 through a Gazette notification, and the ECINET portal does not clarify the implications for applicants who cannot provide previous SIR details.
The development comes as the Election Commission continues Special Intensive Revision exercises across several states to identify duplicate, shifted, deceased and otherwise ineligible voters, a process that has also sparked political debate over voter deletions and documentation requirements.
New Rule For Registration
The new declaration has been inserted between Parts J and K of the online Form 6, which is used by first-time voters, newly eligible citizens and electors seeking fresh enrolment after their names were deleted from the rolls.
Applicants must now choose one of three options: whether their own name appeared in the previous SIR electoral roll, whether the name of a parent or grandparent appeared in the earlier roll, or whether neither they nor their parents were listed.
Those selecting either of the first two options must provide additional information including the Assembly constituency, polling station number and serial number from the earlier electoral roll. While applicants who lack such details can choose the third option, the portal does not specify whether doing so will require additional verification or supporting documents.
Election Commission officials have said the declaration was first introduced during Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision exercise and has since been extended to other states and Union Territories where similar revisions have been undertaken.
According to officials, linking applicants with earlier electoral rolls helps establish continuity in electoral records, enables quicker identity verification and reduces the need for multiple supporting documents.
An Election Commission official also noted that daily bulletins issued during Bihar’s SIR exercise had already reflected the use of “Form 6 + Declaration”, describing the requirement as an administrative measure aimed at improving the integrity and accuracy of voter lists.
Why The Change Matters
The latest requirement comes amid one of the Election Commission’s largest nationwide efforts to update electoral rolls through Special Intensive Revision exercises.
Unlike routine annual revisions, SIR involves extensive field verification by Booth Level Officers to identify duplicate entries, deceased voters, people who have shifted residence, individuals who are no longer ordinarily resident and other ineligible names, while also facilitating the enrolment of newly eligible voters.
The Commission says these exercises are intended to ensure electoral rolls remain accurate and credible. Special Intensive Revision has already been completed in states such as Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, while similar exercises continue elsewhere across the country.
However, the process has also generated political and legal debate after large-scale deletions of names from electoral rolls in some regions prompted concerns from opposition parties and civil society groups.
Critics have questioned the transparency of verification procedures, the documentation burden placed on citizens and the possible impact on vulnerable communities, while the Election Commission has maintained that every deletion follows due process and that eligible electors are given opportunities to file claims and objections before final electoral rolls are published.
The introduction of the parents’ SIR declaration has therefore drawn additional attention because it has become mandatory through administrative instructions for online applications even though the statutory Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 has not yet been formally amended through a Gazette notification.
How To Verify SIR Details
If you’re applying for voter registration through Form 6 and need to provide details from a previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral roll, here’s how you can verify the information:
- Visit the ECINET Portal or Voters’ Service Portal
- Log in using your registered mobile number or credentials.
- Search Your Electoral Details
- Use the ‘Search in Electoral Roll’ option.
- Search using your EPIC (Voter ID) number or by entering your name, age, district and other details.
- Locate Your Assembly Constituency
- Once your record appears, note the Assembly Constituency (AC) in which your name is registered.
- Find Polling Station Information
- Open the electoral roll (PDF) for your Assembly Constituency and polling station.
- The roll contains your Polling Booth Number and Part Number.
- Check Your Serial Number
- Search for your name in the electoral roll PDF to identify your Serial Number, which may be required while filling the declaration.
- If You’re Using Parents’ Details
- Repeat the same process using either parent’s EPIC number or their personal details.
- Record their Assembly Constituency, Polling Booth Number and Serial Number from the previous SIR electoral roll, if available.
- If Details Are Not Available
- If neither you nor your parents appear in the previous SIR roll, select the corresponding option in the online declaration.
- The Election Commission has not yet clarified whether choosing this option will trigger additional verification or documentation requirements.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Free, fair and inclusive elections depend not only on accurate electoral rolls but also on public confidence in the systems used to prepare them. Measures that improve the integrity of voter lists are important for strengthening democracy, yet they must be accompanied by transparency, clear communication and accessible processes so that eligible citizens are not discouraged from exercising their constitutional right to vote.
As digital governance expands, administrative changes should be explained in simple language, supported by clear guidelines and implemented in ways that minimise uncertainty, especially for first-time voters and those who may not possess historical electoral records. Equally, any concerns raised by political parties, legal experts or citizens deserve to be addressed through evidence, dialogue and institutional transparency rather than speculation or mistrust.
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