Jharkhand SIR: Is Form 7 being misused or abused?
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, September 8: As Jharkhand goes through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, questions are being…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, September 8: As Jharkhand goes through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, questions are being raised over the use of Form 7, the Election Commission of India (ECI) form used to seek deletion of a voter’s name or object to the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll.
Form 7 is not merely a routine application. Under the ECI’s guidelines, an elector can use it to object to another person’s inclusion in the electoral roll or seek deletion of an entry on specified grounds, including death, being underage, being absent or permanently shifted, duplicate enrolment or non-citizenship. The applicant bears the responsibility of substantiating the reason cited.
Against this backdrop, concerns are emerging over whether some Form 7 applications are being filed casually, without adequate verification, or for reasons that may not stand scrutiny.
The ECI guidelines make it clear that the applicant has to declare that the information provided is true to the best of his or her knowledge and belief.
The declaration also carries a specific warning: a false statement made in connection with the preparation, revision or correction of an electoral roll can attract Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which provides for imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both.
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This makes a Form 7 application substantially more serious than a routine electoral exercise.
The ECI’s own manual also says that the provision can apply not only to a person who files a false claim but also to a person who presents such an application on behalf of another person, including in cases involving bulk applications.
Death, shifting among grounds cited for deletion
According to sources cited in the report, applications seeking deletion of voters’ names are commonly made on grounds such as death, absence or permanent shifting.
The ECI’s Form 7 specifically provides these grounds, besides underage, duplicate enrolment and non-citizenship.
The concern, however, is whether these grounds are being invoked without sufficient verification.
If a voter is described as having permanently shifted when the person continues to live at the same address, for instance, the claim would require verification before any deletion could take place.
The ECI’s procedure does not envisage automatic deletion merely because a Form 7 has been submitted. The application is subject to scrutiny and verification by the election machinery. Recent reporting from Jharkhand’s Godda district has also highlighted concerns over multiple Form 7 applications and prompted election authorities to order inquiries.
Political agents under scrutiny
Sources have alleged that some Booth Level Agents (BLAs) associated with recognised political parties are filing Form 7 applications citing reasons such as “absent/permanently shifted” and, in some cases, death.
Such allegations need to be independently verified, and the filing of a Form 7 by itself does not establish that a voter will be deleted from the electoral roll.
Recent developments in Godda, however, have brought the issue into sharper focus. Reports have alleged that BLAs linked to the BJP submitted multiple Form 7 applications against voters, prompting objections from Booth Level Officers and an official inquiry.
Why voters are worried
For a registered voter, receiving information that someone has sought deletion of his or her name can naturally cause anxiety, particularly when the voter believes there is no valid ground for such an objection.
At the same time, the electoral system provides a formal process for challenging wrongful inclusion or deletion. The ECI says an elector in the constituency can object to another person’s inclusion through Form 7, provided the objection is based on eligibility and supported by relevant proof.
The key issue, therefore, is not the existence of Form 7 itself but whether the form is being used honestly and whether every objection is being properly verified before any voter is removed.
Officials need to create awareness
The district election authorities, therefore, need to make voters and political workers aware that Form 7 is a formal electoral declaration and not a tool for political rivalry or a casual exercise.
Applicants should understand that an incorrect or knowingly false declaration can have legal consequences, while election officials must ensure that genuine objections are investigated and that no eligible voter loses his or her electoral rights without due process.
The larger objective of the SIR is to ensure an accurate electoral roll. That objective can be achieved only if genuine deletions are made, bogus entries are identified and legitimate voters are protected from wrongful deletion.
