Election Commission's New Voter Registration Rules Spark Controversy
New Voter Registration Changes in India
New Delhi: The Election Commission is facing backlash over its recent decision to require new voters to provide additional parental information when registering to vote. Officials announced on Friday that since the launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative in Bihar last June, approximately 2.37 crore individuals aged 18 to 28 have been added to the electoral rolls.
The updated online registration form now mandates that both existing voters and those wishing to register must include their parents' details as part of the SIR process.
According to the Election Commission, it is now compulsory for new voters completing Form 6 to include their parents' SIR information.
A representative from the poll panel clarified that this requirement was introduced through new instructions, and the Form 6 itself has not undergone any formal amendments.
This declaration requirement was first implemented in the Bihar SIR initiative launched in June of the previous year, compelling new voters to submit this declaration alongside Form 6.
Election Commission officials reported that since June 24, 2025, a total of 2.37 crore new voters in the specified age group have been registered across the nation.
Currently, there are 17.38 crore voters within the 18 to 28 age range.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have publicly criticized these changes, labeling them as "illegal" and "unauthorized," and expressing concerns that they could hinder new voters' registration, as reported by a leading news outlet.
Daily updates from the SIR initiative in Bihar indicate that forms submitted now include this new declaration, according to an Election Commission official.
"This requirement aids in tracking electors and minimizes the documentation needed from new voters during the application process," the official explained.
For those filling out Form 6 online, progress cannot continue until the declaration is completed.