Goa CEO Reports 88 Form 6 Acceptances Among 97 Left-Out Voters
Goa's Chief Electoral Officer has shared a clear status update on 97 voters who were left out of the electoral roll during Special Intensive Revision. 88 of them have had their Form 6 applications accepted.
What Form 6 covers
Form 6 is the request form used to get a name included in the voter list. Of the nine cases still open, three people hold Portuguese passports. The other six are living outside India. Officials say they are trying to reach those six voters for the next steps.
Booth Level Officers have been asked to visit the homes of electors who received notices during the SIR process. This includes those who are unmapped or show logical discrepancies, and collect the
Software Cannot Override Law in Voter Deletion: High Court
High Court has made a clear point. Software cannot override the law when it comes to deleting a voter from the electoral roll.
Technology can help speed up the process, yes, but the final decision stays with the legal procedure. That is the main part of this ruling.
It matters a lot for ordinary voters who worry their name might be removed without a proper reason.
What it means for you
Deleting a name from the voter list must follow the rules set in law. A system or an algorithm cannot make that decision on its own.
Source: PTI
Voting as Fundamental Right: Gandhi, Ambedkar and a Debate That Still Runs
New Delhi: A debate older than the Republic itself is back in the news. Mahatma Gandhi pushed hard for voting rights for every adult in 1931. B. R. Ambedkar later fought to make the right to vote a fundamental right while the Constitution was being drafted. The proposal did not clear the advisory committee of the Constituent Assembly in 1947.
Why does it matter now? Election Commission's Special Intensive Review, or SIR, has already removed crores of names from voter lists. Many more citizens still risk being left out.
Gandhi's argument from 1931
Gandhi wrote in his weekly Young India on 8 October 1931. He said he could not accept an honest working man losing the vote. The crime, as he saw it, was simply being poor. He was not fond of the literacy test either.
He would not wait for his people to learn the three Rs. Not even until the Greek Kalends, a day that never comes.
Constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha Secretary General PDT Achary is blunt about the current situation. Under Article 326, he says, every citizen not disqualified by law has the right to be registered as a voter. This right comes from the Constitution. It's not charity from Election Commission. He also notes that SIR has no place in the law, though intensive revision of voter rolls does. Such revisions were historically confined to
Andhra Pradesh HC Strikes Down 34% BC Quota in Local Body Polls
Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down the 34% reservation for Backward Classes in local body elections. The court said it breaks the Supreme Court's 50% cap on total reservations. This is a big setback for CM Chandrababu Naidu's government.
The court told the state government and State Election Commission to start the local body election process within six weeks. It also turned down a YSRCP petition that wanted to delay polls because of ongoing ward delimitation. The court said delimitation work is not a valid reason to postpone elections.
Naidu announced the 34% quota on August 18, calling it a step to fix injustice. Raising BC reservation from 20% to 34% was a key promise of TDP during the 2024 elections. He argued that BC communities make up 50.54% of the state's population and deserve social justice.
Pressure on the ruling government
The court also told authorities to publish the final voter list and hold polls as per schedule. The ruling puts pressure on the Naidu government. BC organisations are likely to oppose the decision. All India Federation of Backward Classes president Vangala Eswariah had earlier warned that the 34% quota could face legal problems.
Karnataka CM Alleges Conspiracy to Delete 45 Lakh Voters from Electoral Roll
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has made serious allegations about a large-scale plan to delete names from voter lists during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, exercise in the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday, Shivakumar claimed that applications have been filed to delete as many as 45 lakh votes. He called SIR a "big fraud" and said that minority, Dalit and tribal voters are being specifically targeted.
His words are hard to ignore. Shivakumar pointed to a bulk filing of Form 7 applications on September 22, 23 and 24, allegedly by BJP workers rather than real Booth Level Agents. In Vijayapura alone, he said, 14,000 such applications have been filed to delete votes.
Shivakumar also accused BJP and JD(S) of conspiring to remove 50 to 60 lakh voters across the state. He said FIRs have already been lodged in Belagavi, Bhalki, Mysuru and other places over illegal deletion of names from voter lists.
In a dramatic move, the Chief Minister threatened to sit at the office of Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar until a proper inquiry is ordered. "I will not come back till an inquiry is ordered," he declared, even though he had a cabinet meeting that same day.
He also asked Booth Level Agents, legislators and voters to immediately share details of any suspicious Form 7 applications filed to delete their names or those of other voters. He called for a full criminal investigation into what he described as vote theft and an electoral offence.
Admitting He Fell Short
Shivakumar also admitted publicly that he feels he has failed in his duty to protect voters. "I am trying to protect your votes, but I feel I have failed. I have to accept this," he said. He appealed to party workers and voters to send all evidence to his office so it can be taken to the Election Commission.
Karnataka BJP Chief Raises Voter List Irregularities, Accuses Congress of Appeasement
Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra has made serious allegations against Congress government, claiming voter list irregularities during the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls process. Speaking in Kolar and Bangarpet, he said Muslim voters were reportedly gathered in mosques and marriage halls to add names to the voters list. Officials were present at these locations, he claimed.
BJP workers from many Assembly constituencies have reported these irregularities to the Election Commission, Vijayendra said. He also raised concerns about illegal Bangladeshi immigrants allegedly added to the voters list in some constituencies. He stressed that asking the Election Commission to check and remove suspicious names is not a crime. The final decision rests with the Election Commission itself.
Accusations of divisive politics
Vijayendra also accused Congress government of pushing divisive politics by celebrating an Urdu festival on the steps of Vidhana Soudha. He argued that Kannada should get priority there. He criticised Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's administration for decisions he said aim to please minority communities.
He clarified that BJP is not against minorities. He added that Central Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working for inclusive development. However, he warned that if the government keeps doing divisive politics instead of focusing on development, the people of Karnataka will give a clear answer in the upcoming elections.
On the KPSC matter, Vijayendra demanded full clarity and responsibility in the examination system. Young candidates who prepare for years deserve a fair process, he said.
Bombay HC Questions ECI Over Voter Name Omission in Goa
Bombay High Court has raised serious concerns over how Election Commission handled voter list revisions in Goa. During the Special Intensive Revision, a family from Santa Cruz Assembly constituency found their names missing from the draft electoral roll. They had already submitted Form 8 to update their address.
ECI said its software did not allow Form 8 processing at that stage of the revision. The family was then told to apply afresh using Form 6. This raises a basic question. Why should a voter who already followed the correct process be forced to start over?
Software limits cannot overrule the law
The court was blunt in its observations. It pointed out that authorities appeared to be giving a "go by" to the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Statutory powers of Electoral Registration Officers, the judges noted, cannot be subordinated to software limits.
Over 1.18 million electors were covered in Goa's SIR exercise. Many names were not carried forward. Reasons included death, permanent migration, absence, or duplication. EC has since said it will review its ECINET platform and allow field officials more flexibility.
These were oral observations during the hearing. They do not count as a final finding against Election Commission. Court has not declared Goa SIR exercise illegal at this stage.
Karnataka CM Demands ECI Probe as 3 FIRs Filed Over Bulk Form-7s
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar wants the Election Commission of India to run a full inquiry into what he calls a big plan to delete eligible voters from draft rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Police have already filed three FIRs. Two are in Belagavi, one in Bhalki. More may follow.
Shivakumar held a press conference in Bengaluru on October 1. He said he will go straight to the Chief Electoral Officer's office with a delegation to file a complaint. He also said he won't leave until an investigation is ordered. It shows the Congress government is taking this issue seriously.
The Allegations
Many Form-7s seeking voter deletions were found with voter details already printed on them. This raises an obvious question. Who printed them? Where were they printed?
Shivakumar called it a criminal conspiracy targeting minority communities, scheduled castes, tribes, and backward classes. He also said the agency handling voter data may have links to the BJP. He demanded a full audit.
BJP pushes back hard.
BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra says there is no crime here. His party has every right to flag voter entries it suspects were added illegally. The ECI will verify each
ECI Drops SIR Declaration From Form 6 in Completed States
Election Commission of India has dropped the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Additional Declaration from online Form 6 in states and Union Territories where SIR is already done. The change was made on ECINET portal on September 30, 2026, after a decision taken on September 26.
Form 6 is the normal application for new voter registration. During SIR, an extra declaration was added asking applicants if their name or a parent or grandparent's name appeared in a previous SIR electoral roll. That extra section is now removed in areas where SIR has ended.
Why was it removed?
The Commission says the SIR declaration only applies during the SIR period. Outside that window, the regular Form 6 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, is used. Simple as that.
Important point: this is not a nationwide removal. The declaration still exists on ECINET in states where SIR is still running. SIR has already been completed in 20 states and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal.
For first-time voters and anyone whose name was left out during SIR, ECI has said they can apply for inclusion through the continuous-updation process. Election officials have been told to help with such enrolment.
Some deadline updates too:
- Delhi: claims and objections can now be filed until October 30, 2026, with disposal by November 30.
- Maharashtra: deadlines pushed to October 12 and November 10.
- Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya: also got schedule extensions.
Voters who received notices during SIR for unmapped records or discrepancies generally will not need to appear in person before the Electoral Registration Officer. Booth Level Officers can visit homes to collect documents.
Bottom line: Form 6 has not been removed. Voter registration continues as normal. Just check whether SIR is active in your state before applying.
No Election Commissioner Has Dissented on Any Decision Since February 2025
Election Commission sources say no Election Commissioner has disagreed on any decision since February 19, 2025. This comes after reports mentioned 14 objections recorded by Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The objections reportedly covered three things. Centralisation of the ECINet database platform. Changes to Form 6. And decisions on deleting names from voter lists. EC sources say all decisions by the three-member poll body were unanimous.
Goa and Bela Estate Cases
On the Goa issue, 97 voters were left out at first. Sources say 88 names have since been added. Three turned out to be Portuguese citizens. Six were living abroad. The rest are still being checked.
Regarding the Bela Estate matter raised by Rahul Gandhi, EC sources said Booth Level Officers found no one present during their visits. Anyone who signed and submitted the SIR form to a BLO will have their name confirmed in the draft voter list.
The Commission said none of the nearly 25,000 Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers has complained about the process. The Supreme Court has never suspended the SIR exercise either.
SIR Draft Roll Cannot Justify Voter Deletions: Bombay HC
Bombay High Court's Goa bench has ruled that the draft roll prepared under Special Intensive Revision (SIR) cannot be used to delete names from the voter list. The court said clearly that software systems cannot override the law.
Justice Amit S Jamsandekar and Justice Valmiki Menezes were hearing a petition from six members of a family whose names were removed from the voter list in Santa Cruz assembly constituency. The family had moved to a new house in the same constituency and asked their BLO to change their address through Form 8.
Here is where things went wrong. The ERONET software had no record of their EPICs, and the only option left was to reject the application. The Assistant Electoral Registration Officer told them their EPICs had already been deleted from the rolls, so they had no choice but to apply under Form 6, which is only for first-time voters.
The court was blunt. "Otherwise, Form 6, 7 or 8 have no meaning," the bench said. It added that these forms exist for new voters, those who have lost the right to vote, or those who are shifting residence.
ECI questioned on deletion without hearing
The judges also questioned ECI on what part of the law allows deleting names without giving the voter a hearing. "Show us from the Act, what empowers you to delete without hearing?" they asked, calling the situation deeply troubling.
The scale of this problem is worrying. The bench pointed out that only one family came to court, but lakhs of citizens who have shifted residence could face the same fate. Once a Form 8 is received, the authority must check whether the person has genuinely moved. It cannot simply push the decision onto a software system.
Source: PTI
Rahul Gandhi Questions CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Legal Immunity Over SIR Row
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has raised serious questions about the legal protection enjoyed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He did this in a post on X on Wednesday, amid the growing political fight over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Gandhi asked why the CEC has what he called lifetime legal immunity. He linked this protection to an allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi uses the CEC to steal elections. Strong words, no doubt.
What is Section 16 of the 2023 Act?
Gandhi's remarks target Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. Under this provision, courts cannot accept or continue civil or criminal cases against a serving or former CEC or Election Commissioner for any act done while carrying out official duties. This is not a protection created only for Gyanesh Kumar. The law also says the CEC can be removed only in the same way as a Supreme Court judge.
SIR Controversy Gets Bigger
The whole dispute is about the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have raised concerns about possible exclusion of eligible voters and the procedures being followed. Congress and other INDIA bloc parties have accused the Election Commission of failing to address their concerns properly.
Reports say Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months on decisions connected with SIR. The Election Commission, however, has rejected the idea that such differences show problems within the institution. It said differing views are a normal part of internal discussions and that final decisions on SIR were taken unanimously.
INDIA Bloc Plans Joint Action
Leaders of the INDIA bloc met in New Delhi on Wednesday to talk about a coordinated response. The alliance has demanded the removal of Gyanesh Kumar and wants pre-SIR electoral rolls to be used for future elections. They have also called for stronger support for voters excluded from rolls and safeguards against exclusion due to administrative or technical issues.
The BJP has pushed back hard. Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the INDIA bloc of using the Election Commission controversy for political gain.
Supreme Court Will Look at the Matter
The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider a petition challenging parts of the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR process. The petition seeks suspension of the CEC and legal review of decisions taken during the electoral-roll revision.
Right now, two big questions remain. How should the SIR exercise be conducted? And what level of legal protection should Election Commissioners get for actions taken in their official role? Both matter a lot for every voter in the country.
Danam Nagender Alleges Large-Scale Voter Deletions In Telangana
Hyderabad, October 1: Danam Nagender has raised serious concern over large-scale voter deletions in Telangana. He says assistant electoral registration officers and other officials are working with the BJP to quietly remove names from the voter lists. These claims have not been independently checked yet.
Nagender says he will file a formal complaint with Election Commission of India and ask for criminal action against the officials involved in the deletions. He is firm on this point.
What worries him most is this: real voters who took part in past elections have been wiped off the lists. He wants a full check of all deleted entries and immediate restoration of eligible voters. Protecting voter rights, he says, is non-negotiable.
Nagender also questioned why Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision process. His remarks come during a growing controversy over voter list revisions and alleged voter deletions across multiple states. Election Commission has said that any changes to voter lists must strictly follow established legal steps.
Disclaimer: These claims have not been independently checked at the time of publication.
NCP-SP Stages Protest in Pune Over Voter List Revision
NCP-SP workers held a protest outside the Pune District Collector's Office on Thursday. They opposed the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanded clarity on how names are added and removed.
The rally was organised by Pune city (West) unit and led by its president Vishal Vilasrao Tambe. He submitted a memorandum addressed to President of India through Pune District Collector and District Election Officer.
What the protest is about
The party raised a concern many voters will relate to. People in Pune have found their names missing from the draft roll. Some are marked as permanently shifted. The memorandum asks for eligible voters deleted because of procedural or technical errors to be restored immediately, after verification.
It also demands that no name be deleted without prior notice, a stated reason, and a chance to submit documents. There should also be a proper hearing before any removal. An independent technical audit of the voter database and digital systems has been sought. It covers security, access controls, data integrity, and audit trails.
Tambe said the concern is not against verification. It is against genuine voters being kept out of the democratic process. The party also wants an independent complaint-help mechanism. They have asked for a review of final SIR decisions and a sample audit after the exercise ends. In my view, clear reasons and a real appeal route would settle most of these fears quickly.
INDIA Bloc and CJP to Launch Protests Against Election Commission from October 2
Opposition INDIA bloc and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) have announced nationwide protests against Election Commission, starting October 2. They are targeting electoral-roll revisions, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and how the poll panel is working.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge confirmed district-level Save Democracy marches and demonstrations outside district magistrates' offices from October 2 to 8. On October 6, all opposition MPs will march to Election Commission in New Delhi. The bloc also plans to meet the President in the second week of October over what it calls constitutional concerns about the electoral process. Five large rallies are planned. Dates and venues will be announced later.
Kharge said the alliance wants more clarity in electoral-roll revisions. They have pushed for using rolls prepared before SIR in future elections. They have also demanded constituency-wise and booth-wise disclosure of additions, deletions and corrections. Prior notice before removing any voter's name is needed. An effective complaint process is also being asked for. A return to ballot-paper voting has also been supported.
Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced a Jail Bharo Andolan at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on October 2. This came after Mumbai Police denied permission for the group's planned Gandhi Jayanti protest at the venue. Police said they cannot grant permission under existing court directions and advised organisers to consider a different venue.
CJP has demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, criminal proceedings against him, a stop to the SIR exercise, and restoration of the January 2025 voter list. They also want the 2023 law on appointment of election commissioners repealed and wider reforms to the poll body.
The protests come during controversy over EC's handling of SIR. A newspaper report claimed two of the three Election Commission members had recorded objections at least 14 times over 10 months about voter-roll decisions. The Commission rejected suggestions of a split, saying differences of opinion are normal and
Murshidabad Family of Four Detained as Alleged Bangladeshis Despite Being on Voter List
Murshidabad: Police have detained a family of four from the Suti area in Murshidabad district on charges of being Bangladeshi nationals. The case has raised big questions, since their names were present in the final electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal.
When SIR started in West Bengal, one worry kept coming up among people living in border districts. If a name drops from the voter list, could that person end up being treated as a foreigner and sent to Bangladesh? For many, seeing their names survive the SIR process was a sign of safety.
Voter List Not a Full Shield
But this family's case shows that being on the voter list does not mean full protection from such charges. Sixty-year-old Dablu Saik and three other family members were picked up by police even though their names stayed in the revised rolls.
This incident points to the anxiety among residents of border districts like Murshidabad, where questions about citizenship and voter registration are still very sensitive.
ECINET, ERONET Explained: How Election Commission's Voter Roll Systems Work
Election Commission's digital systems ECINET and ERONET are under review. The question is straightforward: do these platforms give Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) enough room to make the decisions the law allows them to make?
An electoral roll is the official list of eligible voters in any constituency. Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Electoral Registration Officer is responsible for preparing and revising it. That officer, usually a sub-divisional magistrate, processes applications, hears objections, and decides who stays on the voter list. The software does not decide. The ERO does.
ERONET was set up as a central system to handle voter registration, migration, and deletion applications. As per the ECI, it replaced 36 separate state systems and databases. Think of it as a decision support tool. It can flag possible duplicate entries, but the ERO looks at the records and takes the final call.
ECINET launched in January 2026 and brought together more than 40 applications and websites under one platform. Voters can register, search electoral rolls, track applications, download electronic voter IDs, and find polling station information all through it. The electoral-roll functions previously handled by ERONET now sit within ECINET as well.
What triggers a flag?
During the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, ECINET processes electoral data and flags what are called "logical discrepancies." These are mismatches when the system matches an elector against a parent or grandparent in older rolls. A relative's name mismatch, an unusual age gap, or inconsistent age progression can all trigger a flag. The ERO reviews such cases and decides the next step.
Why the controversy? Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised concerns about the software limiting the discretion that law gives to EROs. Reports mentioned a "gradual centralisation" of the electoral roll database. The worry is real. If software limits what EROs can decide directly, it could chip away at the statutory authority they are supposed to hold.
Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam went further. He wrote to the ECI seeking four changes to ECINET. Among them was giving EROs the power to decide which cases involving logical discrepancies actually need a hearing. He also asked for more flexibility over acceptable documents.
Election Commission responded. EROs can now exempt people flagged for logical discrepancies from personal hearings if appropriate. Further flexibility for field officers will be made operational. A review committee, headed by a senior Deputy Election Commissioner with an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT, will also assess ECINET.
Source: Election Commission of India
INDIA Bloc Announces Nationwide Campaign Against Chief Election Commissioner
The INDIA bloc is starting a nationwide campaign on 2 October against Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. Opposition leaders say they want to push the Election Commission to fix problems in how polls are managed.
Public rallies, community talks, and social media campaigns are all part of the plan. The coalition says voters deserve clarity and fairness, especially with elections coming up.
What the campaign plans to do
Protests over how elections are run have already happened in many parts of the country. A senior coalition member put it simply: every Indian citizen must keep faith in our democratic process, and this campaign is a step in that direction.
Activists and coalition members are now working to build support at the local level across states. How well the INDIA bloc can get people talking about fair elections is still unclear, but the stakes are high.
Election Commission Extends Document Submission Deadlines for Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya
Election Commission of India has extended the deadlines for submitting electoral documents in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya. This is the second time the Commission has met within four days to deal with these timelines.
The extension came after political parties raised serious concerns about the original deadlines. Leaders said candidates were having real trouble getting all documents ready on time. Personally, this was a needed step. Flexibility matters when compliance rules are strict.
Both states are seeing a big jump in campaign activity right now. Parties are finalising candidates and strategies as election days get closer. The Commission has asked all people involved to follow the updated timelines carefully.
What Happens Next
Officials have repeated that keeping elections fair remains a top priority, while also giving candidates the room they need. More updates from the Election Commission are expected soon.
Telangana SIR: 80-Year-Old Voter Asked for Class 10 Certificate
Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Telangana is drawing sharp criticism, and the complaints sound valid. The goal is clean voter lists. But on the ground, things are getting messy for ordinary citizens.
One apartment had only two families get quick approval. Everyone else? Repeated visits, fresh document demands, no clear answers.
Odd document requests
Worse, officials first took an Aadhaar copy. Then they came back asking for a 10th-class certificate, even from an 80-year-old resident born in 1946. Where will he get it now? A netizen put it bluntly, saying a 90-year-old may soon be asked for a birth certificate.
Civil-society groups in Telangana say SIR notices give vague reasons like not mapped or name mismatched. This simply shifts the burden of proof onto voters. People already carrying Aadhaar, PAN and voter ID are being made to prove themselves again and again.
I believe the Election Commission must publish clear criteria. Every notice needs a proper explanation. And no genuine voter should lose the right to vote over paperwork. Democracy should verify voters, not scare them off.
