Dola Sen: ECI Admits Tampering With Online Form 6 in Supreme Court

Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Election Commission of India (ECI), in its affidavit filed before the top court, has accepted that it tampered with the online version of Form 6. Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, also a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha for the Trinamool Congress, appearing for Sen, told the apex court the ECI had issued a press release stating that the top court had authorised the amended Form 6 for voter registration. "The Court did no such thing. If the Court issues notice, this matter can be heard with the batch," she said. She added that ECI has now accepted many of the allegations made by Sen in her petition. "But may I say something? Please see the audacity of the institution in justifying the alleged tampering with Form 6. They say that this Court allowed the Bihar SIR. That is correct. But the relevant form in the Bihar SIR concerned with citizenship and caste. It had nothing to do with Form 6," Guruswamy added. Guruswamy was referring to ECI's affidavit filed yesterday, in which the poll body said that only the Central Government can amend Form 6. However, it acknowledged that the way the declaration attached with the Form 6 was presented online, it could be construed as though an amendment to Form 6 had been made. This was done so that applicants would need only a single OTP and e-sign, the ECI affidavit explained. Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, who appeared for the ECI, objected to Guruswamy's submissions. "I represent the Election Commission. They are following rhetoric for some"

Lawyers advising political entities or voter rights organizations must closely track the Supreme Court's decision on the ECI's alleged unilateral amendment of Form 6, as it will clarify the scope of ECI's powers in digitalizing election processes and could impact future election challenges or voter registration drives.

Source: Original reporting via Bar and Bench