New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on Monday, clarified that it neither approved nor disapproved the revised Form 6 declaration used by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the registration of new voters, stating that the validity of the changes has not yet been adjudicated.
The revised form was not in existence when the Court heard the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) matter and delivered its judgment in May 2026, the bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana said.
Its earlier observations on October 5 should not be interpreted as an endorsement or rejection of the revised declaration, the Court noted, as reported by News18.
According to Bar and Bench, Justice Bagchi clarified the court’s position during the hearing, stating: “What was said was that when the Bihar SIR matter was before us, the new Form 6 was not there. That does not mean it was either approved or disapproved by the Supreme Court.”
The Court made this clarification after the counsel for a petitioner argued that the Election Commission had represented the revised Form 6 as having the Supreme Court’s approval.
The counsel sought directions from the court, referring to its observations made on October 5.
“On October 5, this court had already declared that Form 6 was not approved by the Supreme Court of India. But the Election Commission has published that the altered Form 6 has been approved by the Supreme Court. This is very important. I am seeking a direction regarding this,” the counsel submitted.
CJI Surya Kant, while responding to the submission, cautioned the counsel against interpreting the court’s observations in that manner.
“There was no application concerning the new Form 6. That is all we have said. Whether approved or not approved. Don’t pick up words like this only for yourself, please,” the CJI said.
The revised declaration had not been examined in the Bihar SIR judgment and that its validity remained open for consideration, the Court reiterated.
“There is no adjudication on the new Form 6. That is all we have said. Whether approved or not approved,” Justice Bagchi said, as reported by LiveLaw.
“That does not either say it is approved or disapproved by the Supreme Court. We will examine it,” he said.
The Supreme Court agreed to issue notice on the petition and listed the matter for October 27, along with connected petitions challenging decisions of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Form 6 is the application used by eligible citizens seeking registration as new voters.
The controversy concerns an additional declaration introduced in the online form during the SIR exercise, requiring applicants to state whether they or their parents were mapped in a previous SIR. The petition’s broader account of the requirement also refers to electoral rolls prepared during an earlier SIR.
The earlier Form 6 used during the SIR in other states did not seek such a declaration.
