"Concerns Grow Over Bulk Form 7 Filings in Electoral Roll Revision"
Form 6
Application form for fresh enrolment on an electoral roll, prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Form 7
Form used to object to or seek deletion of an existing entry on an electoral roll.
India's electoral rolls rest on Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives the Election Commission of India (ECI) superintendence, direction, and control over the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections. Two statutes operationalise this mandate. The Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA 1950) governs how rolls are prepared and revised. The Representation of the People Act, 1951 governs the actual conduct of polls. The forms citizens use for registration are not part of either Act. They are prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which is subordinate legislation framed under the 1950 Act.
Three forms operate the enrolment system. Form 6 is for new enrolment. Form 7 is for objecting to or deleting an existing entry. Form 8 is for correcting details. Because these forms derive their legal force from the parent Act, altering any prescribed form is a rule-amendment, not a routine administrative change. It legally requires a gazette notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. Any unauthorised change to a form therefore touches the foundational link between citizenship and electoral participation, since a citizen can contest or vote in a Lok Sabha election only if their name appears on the electoral roll.
The present disputes trace back to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, first conducted in Bihar and later extended to other states. SIR is far more exhaustive than the routine annual summary revision. Its scale means even small procedural failures can affect large numbers of voters. Two distinct but related concerns have emerged from the SIR process: an alleged unauthorised change to the online version of Form 6, and a surge in bulk filings of Form 7 deletion requests.
The quasi-judicial process for maintaining electoral rolls is designed to be procedurally fair. The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) conducts hearings on Form 7 objections. The ECI does not hear individual roll disputes directly. Under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the ERO must post the objection on a public notice board, issue specific notice to the person whose name is sought to be deleted, and, where contested, hold a formal inquiry. Both the complainant and the affected elector can be summoned and required to testify under oath. Appeals against an ERO's decision go to a designated appellate authority and eventually to the courts.
Section 31 of the RPA 1950 is the deterrent built into this system. …
For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by
Consider the following statements:
1.Union Territories are not represented in the Rajya Sabha.
2.It is within the purview of the Chief Election Commissioner to adjudicate the election disputes.
3.According to the Constitution of India, the Parliament consists of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to Article 324 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
1.It vests the power of superintendence, direction and control of elections, including preparation of electoral rolls, in the Election Commission of India.
2.The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only through a process similar to the impeachment of a Supreme Court judge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Match List-I (Form under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960) with List-II (Purpose) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
List-I
1.Form 6
2.Form 7
3.Form 8
List-II
A.Correction of entries in the electoral roll
B.Objection to inclusion or application for deletion of a name
C.New enrolment of an elector
Consider the following statements about Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950:
1.It penalises giving false information in connection with the preparation, revision or correction of the electoral roll.
2.It prescribes imprisonment as a possible penalty.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements on adjudication of electoral roll disputes in India:
1.The Election Commission of India directly adjudicates individual electoral roll objections through its own judicial bench.
2.Decisions of Electoral Registration Officers on roll objections are subject to appeal before a designated appellate authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding objections to electoral roll entries through Form 7:
1.The Election Commission of India has prescribed a statutory limit of five Form 7 objections per individual elector.
2.The Electoral Registration Officer is required to conduct a formal inquiry, including testimony under oath, before deciding a contested Form 7 objection.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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