Supreme Court Seeks ECI Report on Form Seven Misuse

SUPREME COURT SEEKS ECI REPORT ON FORM SEVEN MISUSE

WHY IN THE NEWS ?

  • Supreme Court Intervention: The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate alleged misuse of Form 7 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh.
  • Compliance Report: The Court asked the ECI to take corrective action and submit a compliance report.

Supreme Court Seeks ECI Report on Form Seven Misuse

ALLEGED MISUSE OF FORM 7 DURING UTTAR PRADESH SIR:

  • ECI’s Submission: The Election Commission informed the Supreme Court that although fraudulent Form 7 applications were detected during Uttar Pradesh’s SIR exercise, none of the applications filed in violation of prescribed norms were accepted.
  • Corrective Measures: The ECI stated that authorities promptly rejected suspicious applications and instructed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) not to accept bulk submissions or digitise forms without proper verification.
  • Political Allegations: Congress leader and Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia filed a petition alleging widespread fraud through bulk submission of Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters.
  • Irregularities Identified: The petition highlighted incomplete applicant details, forged signatures, invalid identification information and objections filed in the names of individuals who denied submitting them.
  • Specific Incidents: In Uttar Pradesh’s Hata constituency, 32 Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters were reportedly left with a BLO. Similar suspicious submissions were reported in Khalilabad and Sakaldiha.
  • Judicial Direction: A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the ECI to examine the allegations, take necessary action and submit a compliance report.

CONCERNS REGARDING ELECTORAL INTEGRITY AND DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION

  • Voter Exclusion: Fraudulent deletion applications can wrongfully deprive eligible citizens of their constitutional and statutory right to participate in elections.
  • Targeted Deletions: The petition alleged that certain applications targeted voters belonging to a particular community, raising concerns about discriminatory electoral practices.
  • Institutional Accountability: The controversy highlights the need for greater transparency, independent verification and accountability in the preparation and revision of electoral rolls.
  • Electoral Preparedness: The petitioner stressed the urgency of resolving these issues before upcoming State Assembly elections, potentially beginning in December 2026 or early January 2027.
  • Legal Action: The petition sought penal proceedings under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, against individuals responsible for false declarations, impersonation and fraudulent objections.

ABOUT FORM 7, SIR AND ELECTION COMMISSION:

●      Form 7: It is prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, for submitting objections to the inclusion of a person’s name in the electoral roll or seeking deletion of an entry.

●      Form 6: Used for applying for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll, including first-time voter registration.

●      Form 8: Used for shifting residence, correction of electoral-roll entries, replacement of EPIC and marking of Persons with Disabilities.

●      Special Intensive Revision: SIR is a detailed exercise undertaken by the ECI to verify and update electoral rolls to ensure their accuracy and remove ineligible or duplicate entries.

●      Constitutional Framework: The ECI derives its authority from Article 324, while Article 326 provides for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of adult suffrage.