ECINET Parental Sir Declaration for New Voters

ECINET PARENTAL SIR DECLARATION FOR NEW VOTERS

Why in the News?

• New Requirement: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new requirement on the ECINET portal asking new voter applicants to provide details of their parents’ status in the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
• Legal Debate: The move has raised questions because the statutory Form 6 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 has not yet been formally amended through the prescribed legal procedure.

ECINET & NEW SIR DECLARATION

• Portal Change: ECINET, the ECI’s integrated digital election platform, now requires applicants filing Form 6 online to declare whether either parent was included in the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
• Additional Details: Applicants answering “Yes” must provide the Assembly Constituency Number, Polling Booth (Part) Number, and Serial Number of the parent in the last SIR electoral roll.
• Alternative Provision: Applicants whose parents were not included in the last SIR must furnish their parents’ names and Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers, wherever available.
• Geographical Coverage: The new declaration applies in States/UTs where SIR has been completed or is underway, except Bihar, while Assam has deferred SIR until completion of the National Register of Citizens (NRC)
• Significance: The requirement comes during an extensive Special Intensive Revision, under which electoral rolls are being prepared afresh rather than through routine annual revisions.

LEGAL & CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES

• Constitutional Basis: Article 326 guarantees every adult Indian citizen ordinarily resident in a constituency the right to be enrolled as a voter, subject only to legally prescribed disqualifications.
• Statutory Framework: The Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA, 1950) empowers the Central Government to frame rules regarding electoral registration through the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
• Rule-Making Procedure: Section 28 of the RPA, 1950 requires that any amendment to electoral rules be notified and laid before Parliament, making statutory procedure mandatory.
• Current Status: No Gazette Notification has yet amended Form 6, and the downloadable physical version of the form still does not contain the new parental declaration section.
• Potential Concerns: The absence of a formal amendment has raised questions regarding procedural legality, administrative transparency, and possible implications for applicants unable to provide parental SIR details.