Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 12: The Election Commission (EC) has directed new applicants seeking inclusion in the electoral rolls to furnish their parents' Special Intensive Revision (SIR) details along with Form 6, officials said.

According to EC officials, the declaration was introduced as part of the Bihar SIR exercise rolled out in June last year through administrative instructions, though Form 6 itself has not been amended.

Officials said all new voters were required to submit the declaration along with Form 6, and applicants filing the form online cannot proceed unless the declaration is completed.

"It helps in mapping electors and reduces the documents new voters need to submit along with the application," an Election Commission official said.

The poll panel also defended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, rejecting concerns raised by United Nations Special Rapporteurs and asserting that the exercise is transparent, constitutional and has the backing of the Supreme Court.

According to the EC, the SIR is intended to ensure that all eligible Indian citizens are included in the electoral rolls while removing duplicate, deceased, shifted, absent and foreign voters.

Responding to allegations of large-scale deletion of minority voters, including in West Bengal's Nandigram, EC officials said voters were provided adequate opportunities to challenge exclusions and denied any bias in the exercise.

The clarification comes after UN Special Rapporteurs recently wrote to the Government of India expressing concerns over the SIR process, alleging a lack of transparency.