Supreme Court Addresses Form 6 Changes on October 12, 2026
The Supreme Court clarifies its position on the modifications to Form 6, stating it neither approved nor disapproved the changes.
Supreme Court's clarification on Form 6 alterations
Changes to Form 6 were introduced after the May 27 ruling
Petitioner challenges the legality of the modifications in court
On October 12, 2026, the Supreme Court of India clarified its stance regarding the alterations made to Form 6, stating that it had neither approved nor disapproved these changes. This clarification arose during a hearing related to the legality of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar, which was the focus of a previous ruling on May 27. The Court emphasized that the modifications to Form 6 were implemented after this ruling, which did not address the new changes.
The alterations to Form 6, which require applicants to provide details of their ancestry or connections to previous electoral rolls, were introduced in July, following the May judgment. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, part of the bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, noted that the new Form 6 was not in existence at the time of the Bihar SIR deliberations. He stated, "The new Form 6 was neither approved nor disapproved by us. But we will examine it now."
The remarks were made in response to a petition filed by Priya Mishra, challenging the changes made to Form 6 for registering new voters during the SIR exercises across various states. The petitioner's counsel highlighted previous comments from the Chief Justice, indicating that the alterations had not received the Court's approval. Despite this, the Election Commission has continued to assert that the changes were sanctioned by the Court.
The Supreme Court's May 27 judgment had indicated that Form 6 serves as a guide for the SIR verification process. It noted that while Form 6 outlines a framework for documentation, it must be aligned with the revision process defined under the Representation of the People Act. The Court stressed the importance of having a structured verification process rather than leaving it entirely subjective.
Looking ahead, the Supreme Court's examination of the new Form 6 will be crucial in determining the legality of the changes and their implications for voter registration. The ongoing legal challenges surrounding the SIR process and the modifications to Form 6 will likely continue to unfold in the coming weeks, impacting the electoral landscape in India.
