The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that it had not adjudicated on the modified Form 6 used by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Justice Joymalya Bagchi stating that the Court’s earlier judgment in the Bihar SIR case did not amount to approval or disapproval of the revised form.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana was hearing a fresh public interest litigation filed by Priya Mishra and another petitioner against the Union of India and others, including the Chief Election Commissioner.

During the hearing, counsel referred to the controversy surrounding the revised Form 6 and submitted that the Supreme Court had already clarified on October 5 that the form had not been approved by the Court. The counsel questioned the Election Commission’s claim that the revised declaration had received judicial approval.

Responding to the submission, Justice Bagchi clarified that the Court had not examined the revised form in its earlier Bihar SIR judgment.

Chief Justice Surya Kant cautioned against presenting the Court’s observations out of context, remarking, “Please don’t pick words for news item.”

The controversy arose after the Election Commission issued a press release suggesting that the declaration appended to Form 6 had been upheld by the Supreme Court in its May 2026 judgment concerning the Bihar SIR exercise. The modified declaration requires applicants seeking enrolment as new voters to provide information about whether they or their parents were mapped in earlier electoral rolls.

The revised declaration had come under scrutiny amid allegations that changes were introduced without following the prescribed statutory procedure and without the concurrence of all Election Commissioners.

Read at: ‘Any Modified Form 6 Has Not Been Approved By Us’: CJI On Changes To Voter Registration Form During SIR