New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revised its online voter registration process by separating Form 6 from the accompanying Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration on its ECINet portal.
Under the revised procedure, applicants in states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise is still underway must submit the two documents separately. Each submission requires an independent one-time password (OTP) verification and electronic signature.
The Commission’s move brings the online application process in line with the existing physical submission procedure, under which Form 6 and the SIR declaration are treated as separate documents.
What Has Changed in the Form 6 Submission Process?
Form 6 is the statutory application prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, for individuals seeking fresh enrolment in the electoral rolls.
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During the SIR exercise, the Election Commission introduced an additional declaration seeking information about whether the applicant’s name, or that of their parents or grandparents, appeared in the electoral roll prepared during the previous intensive revision.
Earlier, this declaration was incorporated into the online Form 6 interface, between Sections J and K. Consequently, applicants could complete both requirements using a single OTP and e-signature.
Under the revised system, the two documents have separate submission processes. Applicants must complete both steps for their applications to be successfully submitted in states where SIR is ongoing.
Why Did the Election Commission Separate the Two Documents?
The change follows the Election Commission’s counter-affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on October 26, 2026, in response to a challenge concerning the presentation of the SIR declaration within the online Form 6.
In its affidavit, the Commission stated that its Electoral Roll Division had decided on October 21 to separate the two documents in the online application process, just as they are handled in physical submissions.
The Commission explained that the declaration had initially been displayed within the online Form 6 interface to make the process more convenient for applicants by allowing them to use one OTP and one e-signature instead of completing two separate authentication procedures.
However, the presentation raised concerns that the statutory Form 6 had effectively been modified. The Commission maintained that it had not amended the prescribed form and clarified that any amendment to it could only be made by the Central Government.
The revised arrangement places the statutory Form 6 and the SIR declaration in two distinct parts of the online process.
Key Details Applicants Should Know
The revised ECINet process involves the following requirements:
- Separate submissions: Form 6 and the SIR declaration must be completed independently in states where SIR is ongoing.
- Two OTP verifications: Applicants must verify each document separately through an OTP.
- Separate e-signatures: Each submission requires its own electronic signature.
- Declaration requirement: The additional declaration seeks details about the applicant’s or their parents’ or grandparents’ presence in the electoral roll from the previous intensive revision.
- Completion of both steps: Submitting only Form 6 is not sufficient where the SIR declaration is also required.
What About States Where SIR Has Concluded?
The revised arrangement follows earlier changes made by the Commission to its online voter registration platform.
In September 2026, the ECI removed the SIR declaration from the online Form 6 interface in states where the intensive revision had been completed. The declaration continued to appear in states where the exercise was still underway.
The latest decision, taken on October 21, separates the declaration from Form 6 even in the states where SIR continues.
The Commission has maintained that the statutory Form 6 remains unchanged and that the revision concerns only the manner in which the two documents are presented and submitted online.
Existing Voters Can Also Apply for Inclusion
The Commission has also clarified that individuals whose names are missing from the draft electoral rolls published during SIR can submit Form 6 to seek inclusion.
This clarification addresses concerns among existing voters about using a form generally associated with fresh enrolment, particularly because it contains a declaration relating to first-time registration.
The latest changes are part of the Election Commission’s ongoing digital voter registration and electoral roll management process through its ECINet platform.
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