Electors marked Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate (ASDD) and left out of the draft electoral rolls can now be included without filing Form 6, the standard application for new voters. In a letter dated November 6, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said such electors can submit the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Enumeration Form along with a short signed statement in Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana and Nagaland, where the revision is still underway.
Those who shifted within the state can file Annexure-C with the new address and address proof, and do not need Form 8, which is meant for enrolled voters to update or modify their details in the electoral roll. On October 28, the Supreme Court questioned the ECI on why deleted voters were being made to fill Form 6 to return to the rolls, and why Form 8 could not be used. A Chief Justice of India Surya Kant-led bench, hearing pleas on the Delhi SIR, noted that Form 6 is meant for first-time voters. Voters who were marked ASDD in the states during SIR Phases 1 and 2 are not being offered this route.
“The SSR [Special Summary Revision] has already been announced in those regions. It asked the ECI to consider accepting late enumeration forms.
An ECI official told HT that the panel has no plans to roll out a similar drive in those states. We would not be launching this drive there,” the official said.
It will also be applicable for those who have not filed Annexure-B explaining why they missed the earlier round.
A wrongly deleted elector has no entry, so on the order’s text, Form 8 does not apply to them, and the Enumeration Form is not listed anywhere. The only route the document actually provides is Form 6, filed as a fresh applicant. Former Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that confusion regarding these electors will clear out once the ECI issues notification regarding SSR in Phase 1 and Phase 2 states.
This means they will have to declare themselves as first-time voters, even if they are not. Something that voters in states where SIR is ongoing will not have to do. “Actually, SSR will also entertain applications of deleted voters who have been part of ASDD lists during SIR or belonged to logical discrepancy.
Form 8 is described to be filed “by the person to whom that entry relates”. Which form they need to use will depend on SSR guidelines issued by the ECI,” he said.
