"Misconception being spread on social media": UP CEO rejects report of 16.18 lakh "mysterious" additions to voter lists
Uttar Pradesh CEO Navdeep Rinwa clarifies that 16.18 lakh Form 6 applications were not "mysterious" additions but part of standard electoral procedures.
Lucknow: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh, Navdeep Rinwa, has strongly refuted allegations circulating on social media regarding the "mysterious" addition of 16.18 lakh voters to the state's electoral rolls.
Addressing the controversy, Rinwa clarified that the claims being spread are based on a fundamental misconception of how voter registration and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process function under the law.
Clarifying the 16.18 Lakh Application Mystery
The controversy erupted following media reports suggesting a discrepancy in voter applications. The reports claimed that while 88 lakh Form 6 applications were received in Uttar Pradesh, the poll body had only listed details for 71.38 lakh applicants, leaving 16.18 lakh applications unaccounted for.
Navdeep Rinwa dismissed these allegations, stating that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has maintained complete transparency throughout the process. He explained that the 16.18 lakh applications in question were not "newly discovered" or added suspiciously, but were applications received before the draft rolls were even published.
"A misconception is being spread on social media that during the SIR exercise in Uttar Pradesh, 16.18 lakh Form 6 applications appeared mysteriously without any prior information," Rinwa stated. "In fact, we had first disclosed this information on January 6 through a press release."
The CEO further noted that the commission had been providing daily bulletins since January 7, specifically distinguishing between these earlier applications and those received after the draft publication.
The Legal Distinction: Form 6 vs. Form 9
A key part of the confusion stems from how different types of applications are processed and published. Rinwa explained that under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, there is a specific legal distinction between applications received during certain periods.
- During the Claims and Objections Period: When Form 6 applications are filed following the publication of a draft roll during a Special Summary Revision, the law requires the commission to generate and publish "Form 9" lists on the website.
- Outside the SIR Period: Form 6 applications can be submitted throughout the entire year. However, for applications received before or after the specific "claims and objections" window, there is no legal requirement to publish them in the same manner as Form 9 lists.
Rinwa clarified that the 16.18 lakh applications were received prior to the designated period. Consequently, they are not included in the online Form 9 lists, but are instead displayed on physical notice boards, following standard official procedure.
Addressing the "Pre-Draft" Application Query
The CEO also addressed a specific point raised by critics: how could citizens file Form 6 applications before the draft roll was even published on January 6?
He explained that this question stems from a misunderstanding of the Booth Level Officers' (BLO) role. During door-to-door enumeration, BLOs carry lists of voters already registered as of a specific cutoff date. However, they are also instructed to identify eligible household members who are not currently on the list.
"It is possible that while a household has three listed voters, a fourth eligible person might not be on the list. We were to make Form 6 available to such individuals as well," Rinwa explained, noting that this procedure was strictly followed in accordance with ECI directives.