The Supreme Court clarified on Monday that it never adjudicated on the ECI’s modified Form 6 for new voter registration, noting it was not part of the Bihar SIR case.
Published: October 12, 2026, 4:24 PM IST
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ECI row in Supreme Court
New Delhi: The Supreme Court clarified on Monday, October 12, 2026, that it had not adjudicated on or approved the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) modified Form 6 declaration for new voter registrationsHearing a petition regarding the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and changes requiring applicants to state if parents were mapped in the previous SIR, a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and VMohana noted that the revised form was not even in existence when the Bihar SIR judgment was delivered.
Supreme Court of India clarifies on ECI’s new Form 6?
In a significant legal development regarding electoral procedures, the Supreme Court of India clarified on Monday, October 12, 2026, that it has not reviewed, adjudicated on, or granted approval to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) modified Form 6 declaration used for new voter registrations.
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“There is no adjudication on the new Form 6,” he observed, clarifying that the apex court’s earlier oral remarks could not be construed as either approving or disapproving the modified declarationCJI Surya Kant cautioned against selectively interpreting the top court’s observations for media reports, saying: “Please don’t pick words for news items.”
What is the political row over modified Form 6 declaration?
The clarification comes amid a political row over the modified Form 6 declaration, with questions being raised about the circumstances in which the changes were introduced and whether they were implemented despite objections from two Election Commissioners.
The controversy intensified after the ECI issued a press release on September 26 suggesting that the Supreme Court had upheld the revised declaration in its May 2026 judgment concerning the Bihar SIR exerciseHowever, the modified declaration was introduced after the judgment, and the Supreme Court had no occasion to examine its contents while deciding the Bihar SIR matter.
The controversy over the revised Form 6 also led to a political exchange, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleging that it had been altered unilaterally and illegally to benefit the BJPThe BJP rejected the allegations, with party spokesperson Sambit Patra maintaining that the Supreme Court had neither declared the form illegal nor rejected itHe also disputed the interpretation that the apex court had established any illegality in the modification.
(With inputs from agencies)
