New Delhi, October 5 (TNA) Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday clarified that the Supreme Court has not approved any modified version of Form 6, the application used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The observation came during the hearing of petitions seeking action, including the prosecution and suspension of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, over decisions allegedly taken during the ongoing electoral-roll revision process.
The Election Commission of India claimed last week that the Supreme Court had approved the declaration annexed to the online Form 6 for the SIR process in some states. The claim became a central issue during Monday’s hearing.
“Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let’s be clear. When the record is produced, we would like to see who has modified it,” CJI Surya Kant observed, according to reports. Form 6 is used by eligible citizens to seek inclusion of their names in electoral rolls. The petitioners have questioned alleged changes to the online form, including the addition of requirements related to ancestral details and links to earlier SIR electoral rolls.
The pleas also challenge the manner in which certain decisions, guidelines and software changes were allegedly introduced by the Chief Election Commissioner without the concurrence of the other Election Commissioners. The petitioners have sought legal action against the CEC and an inquiry into the changes made to the voter-registration process.
The court’s remarks, however, were made during the hearing of the petitions and do not amount to a finding of criminal liability against the CEC or any other Election Commission official. The Supreme Court is expected to examine the official records and responses of the concerned parties before deciding the issues raised in the pleas.