Goa-5 names to be added to voters' list: Cut in SIR; Bombay HC asks EC to give hearing before deletion of names

The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Election Commission (ECI) to re-add the names of five members of a family who were deleted from the voters' list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The court on Thursday said that 10 days have been given after confirming the address. The court also rejected the demand to stay the ECI order. The matter pertains to the Salgaonkar family in Goa. The family members had filled Form 8 to change the address, but their names were still deleted from the draft voters' list during the SIR. The family then filed a petition in the High Court challenging the decision to delete the names and reject the Form 8 applications. The Election Commission said that under the rules of the SIR, it was necessary for the voters to submit the enumeration form along with Form 8. Since the family did not submit this form, they were asked to fill Form 6 to register as a new voter. The question of the High Court - When a person is only changing his address, why is he asked to apply as a new voter? The court said that it is wrong to fill a form declaring to live at the old address, as the person has already left there. The court said that those who have changed their address can be kept pending instead of rejecting their Form 8 so that they are not deprived of the right to vote. The Election Commission had sought adjournment of the hearing citing that the cases related to SIR were pending in the Supreme Court. But the High Court said that the Goa case is different, as the process of making changes in the electoral roll has already been completed here. The court clearly said that it is the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission to prevent eligible citizens from being left out of the voters' list. The difference between Form 6 and Form 8 is for the registration of new voters, while Form 8 is for correcting the details of an already registered voter or changing the address. Let us understand with an example - Suppose Ram's name is not already registered in the voters' list. If he wants to become a first-time voter, then he will have to fill Form 6. But if Shyam's name is already registered in the voters' list and he has shifted from Bhopal to Indore, then he will have to fill Form 8. ---------------------------- also read this news... Election Commission says SIR's Form 6 has not changed, affidavit in Supreme Court - Decisions taken with unanimous consensus Amid the month-long controversy over SIR, the Election Commission said that we have not made any changes in SIR's Form 6. According to the rules, the Center has the right to change it. The Election Commission submitted a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court.