Maharashtra Election Commission Clarifies Voters Missing From Draft Electoral Rolls Can Reapply Through Form 6 Without Penalty

Pune, Nov, 04: Citizens whose names appeared in the previous electoral rolls but are missing from the draft electoral roll published during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) can apply afresh through Form 6 without fear of facing legal action for making a false declaration, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Maharashtra, clarified in an official press release issued on Wednesday.

The state election office, citing the Election Commission of India’s clarification, said that the absence of a name from the draft electoral roll does not prevent a voter from applying for fresh inclusion, even if their name appeared in an earlier electoral roll.

The clarification comes amid concerns that voters whose names were part of the previous electoral rolls but were excluded from the recently published draft list were hesitant to submit fresh applications, fearing that declaring themselves as new applicants could attract penalties for providing incorrect information.

Addressing these concerns, the state CEO’s office clarified that such voters can submit Form 6, the prescribed application for inclusion of names in the electoral roll, by following the established procedure. The application can be submitted irrespective of whether the applicant’s name featured in the previous electoral rolls.

No penalty under Section 31 of Representation of the People Act

The state CEO stated that the declaration required under Form 6 has been in force since August 1, 2022. Applicants are required to declare that their names are not currently included in the electoral rolls.

The Election Commission has clarified that making this declaration does not amount to a false statement merely because the applicant’s name was present in an earlier electoral roll. Consequently, no action will be initiated against such applicants under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, on this ground.

The state CEO’s office further explained that the purpose of the declaration is to ensure that the applicant’s name is not already included in the current electoral roll while seeking fresh registration.

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Names in other states also to be checked

However, the clarification makes it mandatory for applicants to ensure that their names are not included in the current electoral rolls of Maharashtra or any other state in the country.

The clarification is significant for voters who were registered earlier but could not find their names in the draft electoral roll published following the SIR exercise. It aims to remove apprehensions surrounding fresh registration and encourage eligible voters to submit applications to ensure their inclusion in the final electoral roll.

The state election office has also reiterated that the previous presence of a voter’s name in the electoral roll will not, by itself, invite any penalty when they apply through Form 6 for fresh inclusion.