The Election Commission of India (ECI) blasted Rahul Gandhi’s claim on X that CEC Gyanesh Kumar had secretly changed Form 6 for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, calling the allegation "misleading". The SIR order, issued on June 24 2025, was passed with unanimous approval by the Commission and upheld by the Supreme Court in its May 27 2026 judgment. In a September 26 2026 press note, the ECI reiterated that the declaration attached to Form 6 had been sanctioned by the Court.
A bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, heard a petition from advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi seeking the prosecution of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and other officials over alleged unilateral changes to Form 6. Justice Surya Kant noted the Court would examine the official record to determine who introduced the modifications, stating, "Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us. When the record is produced, we would like to see who has modified it." The petition targets the new declaration that asks applicants to confirm whether they or their parents were mapped in the previous SIR.
Form 6, used by voters applying for inclusion in the electoral roll for the first time, had never contained this declaration in earlier SIR exercises across other states. The new requirement, unique to Bihar, raises questions about potential disenfranchisement and the integrity of the roll‑update process. The SIR exercise itself is a critical pre‑election activity aimed at tightening voter lists and reducing fraud.
The Supreme Court’s investigation will likely result in a ruling on the legality of the changes and could set a precedent for future SIR exercises. Meanwhile, a farmer in Patna who was not listed on the roll worries that the new declaration may have caused his exclusion, underscoring the human stakes of the dispute. The Court is expected to issue its decision within the next few weeks, after reviewing the official documentation and testimonies.