The Election Commission of India (ECI) has completely de-linked the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration from online Form 6 in states where the revision exercise is still underway. The move extends an earlier change under which the declaration had already been separated from Form 6 in states where the SIR process had been completed.
With the latest change, the SIR declaration will no longer be part of the online Form 6 application across any state.
Applicants will now have to submit it separately, instead of filling it out as part of the form used to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll.
The decision comes after two Election Commissioners flagged concerns over the linking of the SIR declaration with Form 6.
The development is part of a broader set of administrative changes being introduced within the poll body through fresh orders aimed at improving transparency and streamlining its functioning.
The changes come amid sustained protests by Opposition parties against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise.
The INDIA bloc has demanded Kumar's resignation, accusing the poll body of irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and raising concerns over the deletion of voters' names.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have led demonstrations against the CEC in Delhi, while the protests have also spread to other parts of the country.
The Election Commission has maintained that the revision exercise is intended to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls.
ECI INTRODUCES CHANGES TO INTERNAL FUNCTIONING
Apart from the changes to Form 6, the Election Commission has introduced revised procedures for conducting its internal meetings. Meeting agendas are now being circulated in advance, while minutes are being formally issued after meetings. These practices were not being followed earlier.
The changes are aimed at bringing greater transparency to the Commission's decision-making process and ensuring that discussions and decisions taken during meetings are formally documented.
Another change concerns foreign travel by officers working with the ECI.
Under the revised procedure, officials will now need to obtain approval from the Commission before undertaking foreign trips. Such prior approval was not required under the earlier arrangement.
NEW IT MODULES TO GO THROUGH COMMITTEE SCRUTINY
The process for developing and approving new information technology (IT) modules has also been revised. Proposals for new modules will first be referred to a committee before being placed before the Commission for consideration.
The approval process had earlier been a point of contention between the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). The revised arrangement introduces a committee-level review before proposals reach the Commission.
Taken together, the changes cover electoral registration procedures, internal meetings, official travel and technology-related decisions. While the separation of the SIR declaration from Form 6 directly affects the voter registration process, the other measures seek to bring greater procedural clarity to the functioning of the Election Commission.
Source: India Today