The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a sharp rebuttal to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, dismissing his accusation that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar illegally and unilaterally altered Form 6, a crucial document for electoral roll inclusion.
The poll panel officially labeled Gandhi's statement as "misleading," asserting that the order for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which included a specific declaration attached to Form 6, received unanimous approval from the Commission. Furthermore, the ECI highlighted that this particular order was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court of India in its judgment dated May 27, 2026.
Rahul Gandhi's Allegations
Rahul Gandhi had publicly alleged that CEC Kumar’s actions constituted an abuse of power aimed at benefiting a political party. He stated, "It is now established beyond doubt that Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 illegally and unilaterally. This is just one more proof of him abusing his position to help the BJP." Gandhi further threatened accountability for all individuals involved in what he termed a "criminal assault on our democracy."
Supreme Court's Stance and ECI Clarification
Adding a layer of complexity to the issue, the Supreme Court, through a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, had earlier clarified that it had not approved any modification to Form 6 itself. The bench explicitly stated, "Any modification to Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let's be clear. When records are produced, we would like to see who has modified it."
However, ECI officials clarified that Form 6 itself was not fundamentally altered. Instead, a specific declaration was appended to Form 6 as part of the Bihar SIR order, issued on June 24, 2025. It is this specific order, with its attached declaration, that the ECI maintains was upheld by the Supreme Court. The ECI also referenced its September 26, 2026, press note, which reiterated that "The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court."
Understanding Form 6
Form 6 serves as the official application through which any eligible Indian citizen can seek inclusion in the electoral roll. For periods outside of special intensive revisions, the standard forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, continue to be in use, according to ECI officials.