NEW DELHI: Former chief election commissioner (CEC) S Y Quraishi on Friday claimed that Form 6 cannot be filled by a deleted voter as it is meant only for new voters, though Election Commission officials contested this by citing Section 13(1) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which specifies Form 6 as the mode for filing claims for inclusion in the electoral roll.Posting the poll panel’s letter on the special drive for enrolment of “left out” electors in states/UTs where SIR is completed, on X, the former CEC said, “Form 6 can’t be filed by a deleted voter. It’s only for NEW voters. All those who have been forced to fill it have committed (a) criminal offence carrying 1 yr (year) prison (sic). EC officials who forced them are abettors to crime. This press note shows EC’s abetment.
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Election Commission sources, however, clarified that Form 6 upfront mentions its purpose by citing Rule 13(1) and Rule 26 of Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. As per Rule 13(1), every claim for the inclusion of a name in the roll, to be lodged within 30 days from the date of publication of the draft roll under Rule 10, “shall be in Form 6 and signed by the person desiring his name to be included in the roll”.While the description on Form 6 calls it “application form for new voters”, it guides the applicants to “see Rule 13(1) and (26) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960”.“The requirement by EC for an elector deleted from the draft roll to apply through Form 6 for being added back is strictly as per the above rules. The Supreme Court has already upheld the SIR process,” said an EC officer.