Form 6 Voter Registration Loophole Sparks Nationwide Alarm
The Form 6 voter registration process in India has come under intense scrutiny. The Election Commission has begun a special revision of electoral rolls, starting in Bihar, to remove non-citizens from voter lists. At the core of this issue lies Form 6 — a document that surprisingly doesn’t require applicants to submit proof of Indian citizenship.
🔍 Why Form 6 Is a Problem
The Form 6 voter registration form, governed by the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, requires just a declaration of citizenship — not any actual proof. Documents like Aadhaar, which are commonly accepted as ID, do not prove nationality. This oversight has allowed non-citizens to get onto India’s voter rolls over the years.
🆔 Aadhaar: Accepted for ID, Not for Citizenship
Though Aadhaar is widely used as ID, it’s not proof of being an Indian citizen. According to political analyst Amitabh Tiwari, the word “Aadhaar” appears six times in the Form 6 instructions, while “citizen” appears only twice. This imbalance shows how Form 6 voter registration can be misused.
📸 Image Suggestion: Aadhaar card and voter ID together on a desk – Alt text: “Aadhaar used in Form 6 voter registration”.
🧭 Electoral Revision and Legal Backlash
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar excludes commonly used documents like Aadhaar, PAN, and driving licenses. The move has triggered legal challenges and political protests, with leaders like Tejashwi Yadav questioning the inconsistent document policy.
Form 6 is distributed by booth-level officers and is processed by Electoral Registration Officers. However, with political agents and party workers pushing to add more voters before elections, this turns into a numbers game — often ignoring proper checks.
Former Chief Election Commissioners have pointed out that when Form 6 was introduced in 1952, illegal immigration wasn’t a significant concern. That’s no longer the case.
form 6
🛡️ Fixing Form 6 and the System Around It
The need of the hour is to strengthen the Form 6 voter registration process by mandating proof of citizenship. A declaration is not enough. Aadhaar alone, being only a digital identity, cannot determine someone’s right to vote.
Tightening this process is essential for safeguarding India’s democracy and maintaining the integrity of its electoral system.
🧷 Conclusion: Time to Act on Form 6 Voter Registration
While the current revisions may clean up existing rolls, real change will only come when Form 6 voter registration itself is restructured. India’s democratic future depends on ensuring that only legitimate citizens have the right to vote.
