Maharashtra Proposes Changes to Form 6 Amid Voter Concerns
Maharashtra's electoral office urges the Election Commission to amend Form 6 to assist voters removed from rolls during revisions.
Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer has requested urgent changes to Form 6.
Current Form 6 requirements deter previously registered voters from re-registering.
The deadline for electoral roll updates is approaching, with significant implications for disenfranchised voters.
Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer has formally approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) to request immediate modifications to Form 6. This initiative aims to facilitate the re-registration of voters who were removed from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process without requiring them to declare themselves as first-time voters.
The proposal, submitted last week, seeks to eliminate the legal barriers that have caused apprehension among thousands of previously registered voters regarding their re-inclusion. Under current ECI guidelines, individuals whose names were deleted in the SIR cleanup must reapply using Form 6, which mandates a declaration stating they are first-time applicants. This requirement has led to significant reluctance among affected citizens, as making a false declaration under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment.
To alleviate this issue, the Maharashtra election office has suggested three key amendments to Form 6. These include removing the term "New Voters" from the form's header, introducing a declaration for those previously registered in an assembly constituency, and adding a field for applicants to provide their existing Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number. These changes aim to clearly differentiate between genuine first-time voters and those seeking to restore their voting rights.
The urgency of these proposed amendments is underscored by the approaching deadlines for Maharashtra's electoral roll updates. The claims-and-objections window is set to close on October 26, with the final publication of the voter list scheduled for November 16. Without the ECI's approval of the recommended changes to Form 6, many voters may remain disenfranchised due to bureaucratic hurdles.
As the situation develops, the Maharashtra electoral office is advocating for swift action from the ECI to ensure that all eligible voters can participate in upcoming elections. The outcome of this request will be crucial in determining the electoral rights of thousands of citizens in the state.
