The Supreme Court has questioned the Election Commission over the removal of 47.5 lakh names from Delhi’s draft electoral roll during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), asking why voters already included in the 2026 list were required to submit fresh Form 6 applications to be restored.
The court raised the issue during a hearing on Wednesday, according to reports cited by Live Hindustan. It also asked the Election Commission to consider extending the timeline for the Delhi SIR process and simplifying the procedure for voters seeking inclusion in the electoral roll.
The court observed that voters whose names had already appeared in the 2026 list should not necessarily have been removed and then directed to complete a new registration process. The hearing also addressed the use of Forms 6, 7 and 8 in the revision exercise.
According to the report, the Supreme Court said the Form 6 used under the SIR process was not open to alteration. The Election Commission indicated that it would consider allowing voters who had moved to another location to submit an enumeration form or Form 8 instead.
The figures involved make the issue significant for Delhi’s urban population. At the start of the SIR exercise, the national capital had around 1.45 crore registered voters. Of these, 47.5 lakh names were classified as belonging to voters who were absent, had shifted residence, were deceased or were listed more than once. These names were removed from the draft roll, while 97.53 lakh names were retained in it.
The scale of the deletions has also created a substantial administrative burden for residents who want their names restored before publication of the final electoral roll. Special camps were organised in Delhi to assist voters, but only 27,510 Form 6 applications were submitted through these camps as the process approached its final stage.
The Election Commission had received 2.67 lakh Form 6 applications by October 26, after the draft electoral roll was published on August 31. These applications were submitted by voters seeking inclusion in the final list scheduled for publication on December 4, according to the report.
The court’s intervention places the procedure for relocated voters and previously listed electors at the centre of the ongoing revision. The Election Commission is expected to consider the suggested changes and the request for additional time as the process moves towards publication of Delhi’s final electoral roll.
