SC says it never heard matters related to modification of Form 6

The Supreme Court on Monday said that it had not heard any matter related to the Election Commission’s Form 6, which is used to register new voters, reported Bar and Bench. Therefore, the court’s statements from October 5 cannot be construed as approving or disapproving any changes to the form, Justice Joymala Bagchi was quoted as saying by the legal news outlet.

Hearing petitions seeking the suspension of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for allegedly taking unilateral decisions regarding the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, Chief Justice Surya Kant had verbally observed on October 5 that the Supreme Court had not approved any changes to Form 6.

On September 26, the Election Commission had claimed in a statement that a declaration attached to Form 6 for the voter roll revision exercise had been upheld by the Supreme Court. The poll panel had also announced that the old version of Form 6 would be used in periods when SIR is not underway.

“Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us,” Kant was quoted as having said. “Let’s be clear. When the record is produced, we would like to see who modified [it].”

During the hearing on Monday, the petitioners said that the poll panel had represented the new Form 6 as having the Supreme Court’s approval.

“On October...

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