Congress accuses Election Commission of illegal changes to voter registration Form 6

The Indian National Congress has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of making illegal changes to Form 6, the document used for voter registration. Party leaders Jairam Ramesh and Ragini Nayak claim that the ECI modified the online form in early July 2026 without an official notification or the necessary legislative amendments to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

The controversy centers on a new mandatory section requiring first-time voters to provide information regarding whether their parents or grandparents were included in previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) processes. Congress leaders argue this creates an unnecessary barrier for Gen Z voters and constitutes an encroachment on the powers of the central government, as the Representation of the People Act, 1950, stipulates that only the government has the authority to amend such rules.

In response to the backlash, the ECI reportedly directed officials to organize special enrollment camps and conduct social media campaigns to encourage young voter registration on September 29 and 30. Congress has alleged that these measures are a reactive attempt to address the difficulties caused by the unauthorized changes, which they claim have hindered the inclusion of millions of voters.