The Election Commission has reopened the process for voters removed from draft electoral rolls in Delhi and six other jurisdictions, giving them another opportunity to have their names included in the final voter list without filing Form 6 or Form 8.
The decision applies to voters whose names were excluded during the Special Intensive Revision process because their enumeration forms were not received within the earlier deadline. The affected voters had reportedly been classified under categories such as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate while the draft rolls were being prepared.
Under the revised arrangement, affected voters can submit a new SIR form instead of using Form 6, which is generally associated with a claim for new voter registration, or Form 8, which is used for changes or corrections in an existing electoral record. The change removes an administrative difficulty for people who were already registered voters but were unable to submit the required enumeration form on time.
The Election Commission’s decision covers seven jurisdictions: Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana and Nagaland. According to the report, the commission has directed the chief electoral officers of the concerned jurisdictions to facilitate the process through both online and offline channels.
Voters can submit the form directly to the Electoral Registration Officer or through their Booth Level Officer. They must also attach a declaration explaining why the earlier form was not submitted and confirming that they have not made a fresh application through Form 6 during the intervening period.
The commission has also reopened the enumeration window that had closed with the publication of the draft electoral roll. This window will remain available until the deadline for filing claims and objections expires. The arrangement means that voters whose names were left out of the draft list can use the claims-and-objections stage to seek inclusion in the final roll.
The administrative issue is significant because electoral rolls are maintained through a process that depends on timely verification at the household and polling-station level. When forms are not received, names may be marked for removal during revision, even though the individual may still claim to be an eligible and previously registered voter. The new procedure is intended to allow such voters to respond without making a declaration that does not reflect their actual registration history.
The Election Commission’s instructions place the responsibility for receiving and processing these applications with the electoral machinery in each jurisdiction. The final inclusion of a name will remain subject to the claims-and-objections process and the applicable electoral roll procedures. Voters affected by the draft-roll exclusions must therefore submit the SIR form and declaration before the notified deadline.
