Jairam Ramesh Slams EC Over Form 6 Changes, Alleges Hurdles for Gen Z Voters
Ramesh's remarks came after the ECI announced special enrolment camps for young voters
New Delhi: Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of making changes to the voter registration process that allegedly created hurdles for first-time voters. He also demanded accountability from Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the issue.
Ramesh's remarks came after the ECI announced special enrolment camps for young voters. He alleged that the poll body had earlier made it difficult for new voters to register by introducing changes to Form 6, calling the move "blatantly illegal and unconstitutional."
He claimed that a new section seeking details about whether applicants' parents or grandparents were part of a previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) had created a barrier for first-time Gen Z voters. Ramesh alleged that the online form was changed without an official notification and without amendments to the relevant rules.
He further alleged that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected to the change and sought its reversal to ensure young and first-time voters could register without difficulty. Ramesh also called for the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.
The Congress leader's remarks came amid a wider political row over the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission. An Indian Express report said the two Election Commissioners had recorded objections on multiple occasions over decisions related to the SIR process.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Left parties, have criticised the ECI over electoral-roll revisions and demanded greater accountability.
Congress workers have also held demonstrations in several states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur.
Meanwhile, the BJP has rejected the Opposition's allegations. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal questioned the charges, while Union Minister Chirag Paswan said the Election Commission should clearly present its position to maintain public trust.
The Election Commission has maintained that there was no change to the statutory Form 6 and that an additional declaration had been added under the SIR process. It has also said that decisions relating to the SIR exercise were approved unanimously by all three commissioners.
The controversy is expected to be discussed at the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for September 29 in New Delhi.