New Delhi. Opposition figurehead Rahul Gandhi has formally petitioned the Election Commission to reveal the identity of the official who sanctioned the latest amendment to the digital Form 6, as well as the extent of Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) participation in its execution.

In a post shared on social media, Gandhi asked for the name of the EC officer who directed TCS to incorporate the change, the TCS executive who approved it, and whether any undue pressure was exerted on the firm during the process. His request comes amid a heated standoff between the Election Commission and opposition parties over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

SIR‑Specific Question Inserted into Form 6

The controversy centres on an additional declaration that appeared on the electronic Form 6 during the SIR exercise. The new clause required prospective voters to affirm whether their own name or that of a family member had ever featured on a previous electoral roll.

The Election Commission insists that the statutory Form 6 itself remained unchanged; the extra query was appended solely for the SIR operation.

EC Strips the Extra Clause in Regions Where SIR Is Concluded

After completing the roll‑revision in several states and Union territories, the Commission has removed the SIR‑specific declaration from the online Form 6 hosted on the ECINET portal and on the respective Chief Electoral Officer websites.

In jurisdictions where the SIR is still underway, the supplementary question continues to appear. Voters in areas where the revision is finished must now complete the original Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

Why Form 6 Matters for New Voter Registrations

Form 6 serves as the official instrument through which eligible citizens apply to have their names entered onto the electoral roll. The Election Commission’s Citizen Service Portal also provides an online avenue for filing a Form 6 application.

This episode has become another flashpoint in the broader political debate surrounding the SIR process, with opposition parties pressing the Election Commission for greater transparency regarding any changes to roll‑revision procedures or voter‑registration protocols.