Delhi SIR: ECI Asks Deleted Voters To File Form 6; Supreme Court Says People Should 'Not Be Apprehensive'

Supreme Court was today informed regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Delhi electoral rolls about the recent clarification issued by the Election Commission of India that deleted voters can file Form 6 to register themselves as new voters.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan mentioned before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant led bench that the ECI's statement issued on November 3 is contrary to the Supreme Court's observations made last week that deleted voters, whose names figured in the 2026 rolls, cannot be compelled to register themselves as new voters using Form 6.

CJI has said the matter is pending before the Court and that people need not be apprehensive. Court has asked the petitioners to file an application highlighting the ECI's clarification and said that the issue would be heard on November 19.

ECI recently issued a clarification that persons included in the Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate (ASDD) list can submit Form 6 to seek inclusion in the electoral rolls.

Last week, Supreme Court urged the Election Commission of India to consider accepting late enumeration forms and extend the October 30 deadline for the Delhi SIR if needed. A CJI Surya Kant led bench had also asked the ECI to explain why voters already on the 2026 roll must file Form 6, which is meant for first-time voters, after about 43 lakh were left out of the draft roll as shifted or absent. ECI had said it will file a report in two weeks.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan had told court that out of 47 lakhs who did not fill the enumeration form ECI said 43 lakh are permanently shifted and two lakhs have died. "The problem is this, they gave the enumeration forms with the printed old address. Form 8 is for shifted voters, but ECI is saying they will have to fill up form 6. The form 6 contains a declaration that you have never voted before, which would be a false declaration," Bhushan had added.

Two weeks back, the issue was originally flagged before Supreme Court by a few voters who were asked by the Election Commission to re-enroll under the Form-6 as the Special intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls in underway.

In the Delhi SIR petition, Supreme Court on September 22 had questioned the Election Commission of India over the manner in which notices were being issued to voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of Delhi’s electoral rolls. Court heard a plea concerning notices issued to more than 33 lakh voters whose names have been flagged for either “no mapping” with the 2002 electoral roll or “logical discrepancies.”

The Court observed that the notices appeared to have been issued “almost mechanically” and sought clarification from the ECI on the basis for identifying voters under the “logical discrepancy” category. The Bench also sought details regarding the manpower deployed for the verification exercise.

The petition has been filed by activists Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri and argued by advocate Prashant Bhushan. It challenges the failure to disclose the names of voters who have been issued notices and the specific reasons for such notices. The petitioners have sought a searchable, consolidated list identifying all electors who received notices, along with the precise reason for each notice. They have also sought disclosure of the criteria, algorithmic parameters and operational guidelines used to identify “logical discrepancies.”

The Delhi SIR has generated significant attention after the draft electoral roll published on August 31, 2026 removed around 47.7 lakh names from the existing list of approximately 1.45 crore electors. The Election Commission said the enumeration phase resulted in forms being collected and uploaded for about 97.51 lakh electors. Those whose names are missing from the draft roll can file claims for inclusion between August 31 and September 30, along with the prescribed forms and supporting documents. The process also provides for verification and hearings where required. The Delhi SIR schedule has been revised three times. Under the latest timeline, the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4, 2026.

Hearing Date: November 4, 2026

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi and Justice Mohana

Case Title: Anjali Bharadwaj vs ECI