New Delhi, Saturday – The Congress party formally charged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar with breaching statutory provisions and constitutional conventions after the Election Commission altered the online voter registration Form 6. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesm said the change, made late on Friday night, was a deliberate overreach that warrants suo motu intervention by the Supreme Court.
Ramesm explained that the Election Commission, in a hurried directive, ordered officials to organise special enrolment camps for young voters and to publicise them widely on social media. However, he argued, the CEC had earlier introduced a new mandatory clause asking applicants to confirm whether their parents or grandparents participated in the previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This requirement, he claimed, creates an unnecessary barrier for first‑time Gen Z voters.
The congressman listed three alleged violations. First, he said the online form was stealthily modified in early July 2026 without any official notification. Second, he maintained that the authority to amend Form 6 rests solely with the Union Government under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, a power the Election Commission does not possess. Third, he noted that the change was made without amending the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 – a step that also requires parliamentary intimation.
According to Ramesm, two election commissioners had already urged a reversal of the “illegal and unauthorised” amendment so that young and first‑time voters could register without harassment. He added that the continuation of Kumar in office is an affront to Indian citizens and called for his resignation, echoing a suggestion made by Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
Amid the controversy, poll panel officials reported that 2.37 crore electors aged 18‑28 have been added to the rolls since the SIR exercise began in Bihar last June. They clarified that the declaration was introduced through instructions, not by formally amending Form 6, and that both existing voters and new applicants now must provide parental SIR details to remain on or join the electoral list.
Image: sahilonline.org
📰 Source: Sahil Online