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Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Not an Indian citizen, but still a voter? How Form 6 opens the door for non-citizens in India's voter lists
Ahead of the Bihar Elections 2025 , the Election Commission 's (EC) nationwide intensive revision of electoral rolls has reignited a longstanding political and administrative debate: how did non-citizens enter India's voter rolls? The answer to this question lies in a little-discussed but widely used Form 6 . What is Form 6? Form 6, under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, allows Indian citizens aged 18 and above to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll at their place of residence. However, unlike more rigorous processes in other areas of governance, Form 6 does not require applicants to submit proof of Indian citizenship. A self-declaration, along with documents establishing age and residence, is considered sufficient. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 유독 심했던 무릎 관절통... 알고나니 간단하네요 큰딸민지 더 알아보기 Undo Critics argue that this loophole has allowed ineligible individuals, including non-citizens, to become registered voters, particularly in regions with high migration and porous borders. Aadhaar: Identity, not citizenship Aadhaar, India's most widely available identification document, is frequently used in Form 6 as proof of age and residence. The form mentions Aadhaar multiple times, but the term 'citizen' appears only twice. Live Events However, Aadhaar is not a valid document to prove citizenship. It was excluded from the Election Commission's June 24 list of 11 acceptable documents for proving citizenship during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar. This list includes documents like a passport, birth certificate, or domicile certificate. The EC has maintained that Aadhaar is only an identity document and does not certify nationality. What is Special Intensive Revision? The SIR is a comprehensive exercise to clean the voter rolls and remove names that don't qualify, including non-citizens. The last such exercise was carried out in 2003-2004. Since then, only summary revisions have been done annually. These limited updates have likely allowed millions of unverified names to remain on the rolls. In Bihar, the SIR includes door-to-door verification. But political opposition has questioned both the timing and the exclusion of commonly used documents like Aadhaar, ration cards, and MNREGS job cards. The matter is now being heard by the Supreme Court. Political pushback RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised the process and cited a personal example. "My wife, who was earlier a voter in Delhi, got her voter ID made in Bihar after our marriage, based on her Aadhaar card. Why, then, is the Aadhaar card excluded from the list of documents required for the SIR in Bihar?" he asked. He is not alone in raising concerns. Reports suggest that Aadhaar remains the most accessible document in many districts of Bihar, and its exclusion could disenfranchise a large number of genuine voters, said the India Today report. How non-citizens made it to the voter list Former election officials acknowledge that the process for registering new voters has, over the years, become less stringent. An India Today report, citing a former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), stated, 'When Form 6 was initially introduced in 1952, no one foresaw such a large-scale inflow of illegal immigrants.' The ex-CEC noted that the pressure on the Election Commission and political parties to increase voter enrolment often leads to lax verification. Booth-level officers (BLOs) and political party agents are deeply involved in collecting and processing voter applications. This grassroots push can, intentionally or unintentionally, let non-citizens slip through. 'Connecting Aadhaar to EPIC (voter ID) is only a step to remove duplicate entries. It cannot verify citizenship,' India Today quoted the former CEC as saying. Citizenship: The missing filter In 2016, Kiren Rijiju, MoS Home Affairs, told Parliament that India had 20 million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Many experts have since flagged changes in the demographic makeup of districts along the eastern border, indicating the scale of undocumented immigration. Political strategist Amitabh Tiwari said that unless proof of citizenship is made mandatory, the issue will persist. 'Proof of citizenship, and not just a declaration, should be mandatory while enrolling first-time voters itself,' India Today quoted him as saying. Tiwari added that the current practice of treating new voter registration as a numbers game has lowered the bar for verification. 'There is always a pressure on ECI and other bodies to have as many voters as possible,' he said. The way forward The Election Commission has declined to comment officially on the process. But multiple former CECs have said the time has come to revise not just Form 6, but the entire electoral registration framework. 'Even the Aadhaar Act doesn't say that the Aadhaar card is a proof of citizenship," India Today quoted Ashok Lavasa, a former CEC, as saying.
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How even non-citizens get to vote in India. The devil lies in Form 6
The Election Commission's decision to conduct an intensive revision of electoral rolls across India, beginning with poll-bound Bihar, has sparked a massive political storm. The Election Commission (EC) wants to weed out non-citizens from the electoral rolls. This begs the question – How did non-citizens become voters in the first place? The answer to this question lies in Form 6, issued by the EC, is to be used by Indians who are 18 or older to register as voters in the area of their the EC is trying to weed out non-citizens from voters' lists through the special intensive revision (SIR), the lacuna in Form 6 has come under criticism. The Form 6 doesn't require applicants to provide any documents to prove they are Indians. A mere declaration and proof of date of birth and address suffices. The provisions of Form 6 are laid out in the the Registration of Electors Rules, part of the SIR, the EC is conducting a door-to-door exercise in last such intensive revision of the voter list in India took place in 2003-2004. Since then, there have been only summary revisions, and millions of doubtful voters might have ended up voting. The summary revision is a routine update of voter lists, while the SIR is a more detailed one to verify and clean up the Opposition parties and activists have taken the matter to the Supreme Court, it was the Congress itself, which raised the question of the sanctity of the electoral list after the polls in Maharashtra in citizens of India should be allowed to decide the country's course, and for that it has to be ensured that illegal immigrants do not get to has 20 million Bangladeshi illegal immigrants, Kiren Rijiju, then junior Home Minister, told Parliament in 2016. The demography of dozens of districts in the country has changed due to illegal intensive revision of electoral rolls is a must to rid them of the illegal immigrants who might have surreptitiously sneaked into the voter list. But the most important thing is to ensure that non-citizens do not become voters in the first place.A former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) told India Today Digital that not just Form 6, the entire electoral process needed a relook because of the deluge of illegal immigrants into the country over by India Today Digital to get an official response on the process of registration of voters from the office of Director General (Media) of the EC bore no results. An Electoral Registration Officer cum Sub-Divisional Officer in Bihar's Motihari reviews the distribution of enumeration forms by BLOs. (Image: Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar/X) FORM 6 AND THE AADHAAR LINK IN NEW VOTER REGISTRATIONAs part of the intensive revision of the voter list in Bihar, the EC on June 24 issued a list of 11 documents, one of which is to be used to prove identity card or pension payment order, birth certificate, passport, matriculation certificate, domicile, caste or forest right certificates are among the 11 list doesn't include Aadhaar card, PAN and driving licence, generally used across India as ID reason -- Aadhaar or the other documents are identity proof but do not prove Aadhaar is one document that can be used in Form 6."The Form 6, which is required to be filled to become a new voter, does not ask for any citizenship documents. It requires just a declaration of citizenship," says political strategist and commentator Amitabh proof of date of birth and address, Aadhaar can be given. So, in that entire document [Form 6], Aadhaar is mentioned six times. Citizen is mentioned twice," Tiwari, founder of Ascendia Strategies, tells India Today EC's SIR exercise has been challenged in the Supreme Court over the list of 11 documents and the timing, which the Opposition says is close to the election in parties have questioned the exclusion of everyday documents like Aadhaar in the leader Tejashwi Yadav sought that Aadhaar, other than ration and MNREGS cards, be allowed as proof of place of birth for the in The Indian Express suggested that Aadhaar was among the most-available documents across several districts in ONE BECOMES A VOTER IN INDIAOther than the annual correction or summary revision, there is an extensive drive to add new voters ahead of every officers (BLOs) are supposed to pass on the Form 6 to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), who decides on the final of polls, even block-level agents (BLAs) of political parties too get involved in the process with the incentive that helping applicants register as voters would boost their party's say that the process of adding first-time voters takes the form of a sales-target job."When Form 6 was initially introduced in 1952, no one foresaw such a large scale inflow of illegal immigrants," a former Chief Election Commissioner told India Today Digital, requesting anonymity."It is common knowledge that non-citizens are using Aadhaar to get into the electoral process," he former CEC explained that connecting an Aadhaar number to a voter's Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is an attempt at removing duplicate and multiple voting entries of an individual. The Form 6 is used by Indian citizens aged 18 or above to apply for inclusion of their name in the electoral roll of their place of residence. (Image: Election Commission) WHY INDIA SHOULD RIGOROUSLY VET CITIZENSHIP OF VOTERSThough the government might have sought to use Aadhaar to curb voter fraud, the use of the very same to register as a voter through Form 6 might have allowed non-citizens to get onto the voter former CEC said ways and means will have to be developed to prevent the entry of non-citizens on the electoral rolls."Hereafter, Form 6 will have to be revised. Not just Form 6, the entire electoral process will need to be looked into to prevent non-citizens from getting into the electoral process," he it isn't difficult to register as a voter with the help of Aadhaar was, ironically, pointed out by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav himself as he criticised the SIR."My wife, who was earlier a voter in Delhi, got her voter ID made in Bihar after our marriage, based on her Aadhaar card. Why, then, is the Aadhaar card excluded from the list of documents required for the SIR in Bihar," he asked. The EC has held that the Aadhaar card is neither proof of date nor place of birth, and neither of citizenship, according to a report in The Times of India on July 6."Even the Aadhaar Act doesn't say that the Aadhaar card is a proof of citizenship," another former CEC, Ashok Lavasa, told India Today TV, when asked if the Aadhaar card was enough to prove citizenship for the SIR the intensive revision of voter rolls is needed to verify the authenticity of those already registered to vote, there should be thorough vetting before voters are which faces a big problem of illegal immigration, cannot have a lax process in registering to the "lower benchmark" in enroling first-time voters "because there is always a pressure on ECI and other bodies to have as many voters as possible", Tiwari suggests tightening the system at the entry point says proof of citizenship, and not just a declaration, should be mandatory while enroling first-time voters as the Supreme Court takes up the issue of the EC's intensive revision exercise in Bihar, it is high time that India makes the process of registering as a voter robust, so that non-citizens can be kept out of deciding its destiny.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
87% enumeration forms distributed in Bihar; 5% filled up & returned; documents can be added later
Special intensive roll revision (SIR) completed in Bihar NEW DELHI: Booth level officers (BLOs) on Friday completed door-to-door visits to the state's nearly 1.5 crore households as part of the ongoing special intensive roll revision (SIR), distributing enumeration forms to over 87 per cent or over 6.8 crore, of Bihar's 7.9 crore electorate. Already, 38 lakh or 5 per cent filled-up and signed enumeration forms, with or without the specified documents, have been received by the BLOs, with the figure expected to touch 15 per cent on Saturday. Sources in the election commission (EC) told TOI that even where enumeration forms are short on one or more required documents, there shall be a window for the elector concerned to submit them anytime before July 25, the last date for submission of the completed enumeration forms. 'All those who turn in their filled-up forms by July 25 will be included in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, 2025,' said an EC official adding that the BLOs are working with the motto 'inclusion first'. 'In order to get one's name in the draft electoral roll, the strict condition is to sign and submit the pre-printed enumeration form before July 25. This step will filter out non-existent voters, either dead or migrated ones who are no longer ordinary residents of that assembly constituency,' said an EC officer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like O novo Chevrolet Tracker é simplesmente perfeito com esses preços! Smartfinancetips Saiba Mais Undo Though BLOs will give their recommendation while submitting/uploading the filled up enumeration form, the electoral registration officer (ERO) or assistant ERO (AERO) is expected to scrutinise the forms 'not recommended' by BLOs only after draft rolls are published on August 1. Claims and objections to the draft electoral roll can be filed from August 1 to September 1. 'Based on the documents attached or not attached, eligibility verification of each name in the draft roll will start vigorously from August 2 onwards, which is also the date from which political parties or any member of the public can file claims and objections,' said an officer. EROs and AEROs will scrutinise the forms against the eligibility criteria laid down in Article 326, which requires electors to Indian citizens, not less than 18 years of age and ordinarily resident in the constituency. Asked about the remaining 13 per cent enumeration forms still not distributed by BLOs, EC said these could be on account of locked houses, dead electors, migrants or those who may be travelling. BLO will be making two more house visits in such cases. Electors who miss the July 25 deadline can still apply for inclusion during the claims and objections period using Form 6. The over 1.5 lakh booth level agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties, including 52,689 by the BJP 47,504 by RJD, 34,660 by JD(U) and 16,500 by the Congress, can continue to submit up to 10 forms per day even after the draft roll is published. The final electoral roll will be published on September 30, 2025. Those still aggrieved can file first appeal with the district magistrate and final one with the chief electoral officer. Further additions to the electoral roll can be made even after the Bihar poll is announced, that is, till the last day of filing of nominations.
Economic Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Place of Voting: The other voter's choice
Over decades, as EC fine-tuned voting systems and bolstered outreach efforts, the number of voters have steadily but surely increased. Yet, many are left out because they are registered in their home cities/towns/villages while residing elsewhere, mostly for work reasons. Returning to their constituencies to cast their ballot can, indeed, be an issue. To address this, EC has suggested that citizens should register only in constituencies where they reside, not where their 'permanent address' lies. This aligns with Section 19 of the Representation of the People Act 1950. The issue is particularly sensitive in states like poll-readying Bihar, where outmigration is high. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, voter turnout in Bihar was 56%, while the national average was 66%. A major reason for this gap is the inability of emigre workers to return home to vote. Many still prefer to vote in their hometowns or villages due to family ties, land ownership, continued access to state benefits (since portability of benefits is yet to be fully implemented) or because of investing in the future of such a place. While EC rightly notes that political parties often pay for voter travel - encouraging an unhealthy quid pro quo - stopping it is an administrative task. Requiring people to vote only where they live is not justified. Along with proxy voting for NRIs and postal ballots for service personnel, Form 6 allows migrants to vote from their place of residence for local candidates. But this has not been popular. EC has also experimented with solutions, including a pilot project using remote voting machines and postal ballots. These alternatives must be pursued, rather than enforcing a rule that fixes voters to their workplaces. It must be their choice.
Mada
01-07-2025
- Business
- Mada
Eastern Company suspends social insurance for workers in latest punitive action after union refused to sell shares
Six workers at the Eastern Company for tobacco manufacturing found that their social insurance files were closed last week without any formal notice of dismissal, two of the affected workers told Mada Masr. The six workers have faced punitive action from the company, including being barred from the company premises and suspended from work in the wake of the workers union refusing to sell its shares to an anonymous investor in February. One of the workers said they visited the insurance office in 6th of October City to inquire about the termination and were told by a staff member that the file had been closed at the request of the company. When asked, the official refused to explain the company's justification in defiance of the legal obligation for them to do so. MP Ehab Mansour, deputy chair of the parliamentary Labor Committee, told Mada Masr that barring the workers from company premises and then closing workers' insurance files without their consent — and without their signing Form 6, the official government document used to terminate social insurance coverage — amounts to 'forgery.' Under the executive regulations of the Social Insurance and Pensions Law 148/2019, an employer must submit a copy of the form signed by the worker in order to close their social insurance file, lawyer Yasser Saad, who specializes in labor law, confirmed to Mada Masr. If the employee is absent or refuses to sign the form, and the employer proceeds with dismissal, the employer must notify the National Authority for Social Insurance within a week and provide a justification for the termination, Saad said. In such cases, the authority forms a committee to review the dispute and attempts to resolve it amicably. If either party rejects the committee's decision, the matter may be referred to a labor court. An employee can also request the file be closed by signing the form, and the employer is obligated to submit a copy of the signed document to the authority. Mansour submitted an urgent inquiry on Monday to the prime minister, the public enterprises and labor ministers and the head of the National Authority for Social Insurance regarding the closures. The inquiry included complaints from members of the worker shareholders union's general assembly, who accused the company of intimidating workers with threats of dismissal to pressure them into backing the sale of the union's shares in the upcoming assembly meeting. Mansour previously submitted a similar request in April, which was referred to the Manpower Committee and scheduled for discussion two weeks later, he said. In February, during an extraordinary general assembly meeting of the workers shareholders union, company employees rejected a proposal to sell all union-held shares to a single, anonymous buyer represented by EFG Hermes Promoting and Underwriting, at a price below market value. They were later investigated on allegations of vandalism and disorder. Company management subsequently negotiated with them, offering to drop the investigations in exchange for halting their communication with the Financial Regulatory Authority regarding the legitimacy of the sale. The workers shareholders union holds over 156 million shares in the Eastern Company — roughly 5.2 percent of the company's total shares. The largest stake, 30 percent, is held by the UAE-based Global Investment, followed by the state-owned Chemical Industries Holding Company, which owns 20.95 percent. A second vote on the same sale was held in April, but workers once more rejected the deal. Several workers told Mada Masr they believe the company used the investigations as a means to intimidate workers into approving the sale in the second meeting. While the same workers were also barred from the company premises in May, bonus payments were suspended for 19 other workers for a six-month period at the time. After being denied entry to the company premises, the affected workers filed a complaint with the labor office. The office informed them that it would refer the case to the labor court, after contacting the company, which declined to explain its actions and said it would present its justifications 'in court,' according to the workers.
