Supreme Court Clarifies It Has Neither Approved Nor Rejected Modified Form 6 Used During Bihar SIR

Supreme Court Clarifies Its Position on Modified Form 6

The Supreme Court has clarified that it has neither approved nor disapproved the modified Form 6 used by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to include voters' names in electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.

According to The Indian Express, the clarification was made on Monday, October 12, 2026, when a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant considered a fresh petition questioning the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The court's remarks clarify that the question of approval for the modified form remains undecided.

Petition Questions Election Commission's Functioning

The fresh petition raises concerns about the Election Commission's handling of the electoral-roll revision process. The matter follows an investigation published by The Indian Express on September 23, which reported that two Election Commissioners had flagged changes to Form 6 as allegedly illegal and unauthorised.

These concerns have brought attention to the procedures followed by the Election Commission when modifying forms used in voter enrolment.

The allegations reported in the petition and the investigation should be distinguished from any final judicial finding.

Advocate Refers to Earlier Supreme Court Remarks

During the hearing, advocate Narendra Mishra, appearing for the petitioners, referred to remarks made by the Chief Justice of India on October 5.

At that earlier hearing, the CJI had orally stated that the Supreme Court had not approved the modified version of Form 6 while considering the constitutional validity of the SIR exercise in Bihar.

The latest clarification makes clear that the court has not yet approved or disapproved the modified form. The question therefore remains open for consideration in the relevant proceedings.

Similar Petitions Listed for October 27

The three-judge bench issued notice on the fresh petition and tagged it with similar petitions listed for October 27, 2026.

The decision brings the new challenge into the broader group of cases concerning the Election Commission's functioning and the implementation of the SIR exercise.

The scheduled date provides an opportunity for the issues raised in the petitions to be considered alongside related legal challenges.

Why Modified Form 6 Matters

Form 6 is used in the electoral system for applications seeking inclusion in electoral rolls. Changes to the form and the procedures governing voter enrolment can have implications for how eligible citizens apply to be registered.

The dispute highlights questions about the legal authority for changes to election-related forms, the decision-making process within the Election Commission and the need for clarity in electoral administration.

The Supreme Court's clarification does not amount to a final ruling that the modified form is lawful or unlawful. The question of approval remains undecided, as described in the report.

Source: The Indian Express, Ananthakrishnan G, updated October 13, 2026.