It maintained that ensuring the purity of the electoral process and protecting the voting rights of eligible citizens remained its constitutional responsibility
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) has told the Supreme Court that it remains committed to ensuring that all eligible voters find their names in electoral rolls while simultaneously addressing inconsistencies in the lists during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. "There have been and will be problems that arise from time to time and the Commission remains alive to the need to ensure that those who are eligible to vote find their names in the voters' lists but equally, at the same time, to ensure that all inconsistencies in these lists are addressed," the poll panel said in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, as reported by news agency PTI. The EC said voters whose names were missing from the draft electoral rolls despite being enrolled in previous electoral rolls could apply afresh using Form 6 without facing prosecution, provided they were not already registered in another parliamentary or assembly constituency and their declarations complied with the law. The clarification came after concerns were raised that such applicants could face prosecution under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, for submitting Form 6 despite having been registered earlier. The Commission said it had asked chief electoral officers to publicise the clarification widely, including in local languages. According to PTI, the EC also informed the court that it had taken note of its suggestion to reach out to voters categorised as ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate) to facilitate their inclusion in electoral rolls. In a communication dated November 6, 2026, the Commission directed chief electoral officers in states and Union territories where the SIR is underway to allow voters to submit duly filled Enumeration Forms to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) or Booth Level Officer (BLO) at their current ordinary residence.
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Voters who have not shifted can submit a signed Enumeration Form along with a statement explaining why they had not submitted it earlier. The documents can be submitted personally or through family members. An online submission facility with e-sign is also available on ECINET. The EC said it had directed the creation of a mechanism to ensure that no eligible elector was deprived of an opportunity to have their name included in the final electoral roll, while also preventing duplicate registrations. The Commission said the exercise involved challenges because of the large number of voters and the digitalisation of electoral data. It maintained that ensuring the purity of the electoral process and protecting the voting rights of eligible citizens remained its constitutional responsibility.
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