What is SIR? Election Commission Introduces New ECINET Verification for Voters
What is SIR: The Election Commission of India’s online voter registration portal, ECINET, now asks applicants to share details about their parents’ status in the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
Applicants need to provide the polling booth number and their parents’ serial number from that roll.
This change happened even though Form 6, the official form for new voter registrations, has not yet been updated through the legal process.
Here’s what we know about the new procedure and what it means for new voters.
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What is SIR? ECINET Portal Adds New Verification Step for Voter Enrolment
Benefits of SIR: On the ECINET portal, users can register as new voters, update their details on the electoral rolls, or request removal from the rolls.
The current online version of Form 6, used for voter enrolment under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, now has a new section.
SIR Documents Required: Applicants should mention whether their parents' names were recorded in the previous SIR.
If they were, applicants need to provide the Assembly constituency number, the polling booth number (also called the part number), and the serial number under which their parent was registered in the last SIR.
Electoral Roll Verification: Election Commission Expands Voter Revision Drive to 19 More States
What is SIR: Since last June, the Election Commission has finished the SIR in 10 states and three Union Territories.
In other states and Union Territories, the last intensive revision took place in the early 2000s and is now underway in 19 others.
The Election Commission has not yet announced the SIR for Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Voter List Revision: Assam SIR on Hold Pending NRC; New Parent Declaration Added to Form 6 Nationwide
In Assam, the Commission will wait until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process is finished before starting the SIR.
In all states where the SIR is being conducted or is ongoing, except Bihar, the online Form 6 now asks applicants to complete the new declaration regarding their parents.
This section is placed between the existing parts of the form. If the applicant’s parents were not listed in the last SIR, they should choose that option and provide their parents’ names and, if available, their Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.
SIR Voter New Update: How Article 326 and the RPA, 1950 Power India's Voter Enrollment Process
Article 326 of the Constitution guarantees the right to enrol as a voter to all adult citizens who live in a particular Assembly constituency, unless disqualified by law.
The Representation of the People Act, 1950 empowers the Union government to make rules for elections and voter registration.
Section 28 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), titled "Power to Make Rules," states that the Central Government may, after consulting the Election Commission and issuing a notification in the Official Gazette, frame rules to implement the provisions of the Act.
"The text also specifies that every rule enacted under the law shall be presented to both Houses of Parliament as soon as it is finalised."
EC Alters Form 6 Online Without Official Law Ministry Greenlight
What is SIR: Form 6 is part of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which are issued under the Act.
Any revisions to the form would have to be approved by amendment and notified in the official gazette by the Law and Justice Ministry.
No, the Law and Justice Ministry has not yet notified any change to Form 6, as shown in the notifications on the e-Gazette website from June 24, 2025, when the EC first announced the SIR, to now.
The downloadable Form 6 on the ECINET portal, meant for printing and in-person submission, does not include the new SIR declaration section.
This suggests the form has not been officially updated as required.
The Election Commission has not answered questions about whether an amendment was made or when the new declaration was added to the ECINET portal.
New SIR Rules Spark Confusion for First-Time Voters as Electoral Rolls Are Rebuilt from Scratch
What is SIR: New applicants, especially those who have just turned 18, now need to find records for themselves or their parents in the last SIR.
Since the Commission has not clarified the revised requirement, it is unclear whether those unable to provide the information will be subjected to further scrutiny.
The new SIR declaration is especially important now, as the Commission is carrying out a major SIR of electoral rolls.
This time, the rolls are being prepared from scratch rather than updated each year as before.
5.58 Crore Voters Removed Under EC’s New Document-Heavy Revision Drive
In earlier intensive revisions, the Commission did not require all voters to submit forms and documents to prove their eligibility, including proof of citizenship, as the SIR now does.
So far, the SIR has been completed in 13 states and Union Territories.
According to Commission data, this has led to the removal of 5.58 crore names, mostly because Booth Level Officers found them to be deceased, to have moved, to be absent, or to be registered in more than one place.
In West Bengal, 27 lakh voters who submitted documents have been removed through a unique judicial process.
Their appeals remain under consideration by the appellate tribunals. It remains unclear how the SIR declaration will affect the enrolment of children whose parents have been removed.
How to Apply for SIR: Know The Steps Below
Visit the Election Commission's SIR portal or the Citizen Service Portal and select "Fill Enumeration Form." ECI Citizen Service Portal.
Log in using your mobile number/credentials (if required) and select your state to access the SIR form.
- Fill in the required details, including:
- Personal information (name, age, address, EPIC number, if available)
- Family details, where applicable
- Supporting identity and residence documents, if requested
- Recent photograph (if required)
Review the information and submit the form online.
If online submission is unavailable in your area, complete the physical enumeration form and submit it to your Booth Level Officer (BLO) or at the designated election office.
Keep the acknowledgement or reference number to track your application status.
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