BJD targets Election Commission over Form 6 changes, cites SC observations
Synopsis
BJD has accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of amending Form 6 without Supreme Court sanction during the Special Intensive Revision — directly contradicting the ECI's own public claim. With the court reportedly issuing notices to the Centre and ECI, and BJD alleging 13 crore voters were excluded nationwide, the row puts India's election machinery under serious scrutiny.
Key Takeaways
BJD on 5 October 2026 accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of unauthorised changes to Form 6 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The party alleged the Supreme Court rejected the ECI's claim that Form 6 amendments were made with court permission, and that the Chief Justice of India clarified the ECI lacked authority to make those changes.
Around 13 crore voters nationwide and approximately 27.50 lakh voters in Odisha were allegedly excluded during the SIR process.
BJD general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar alleged that Seema Khanna of the ECI's IT department deleted voter names via ECI Net .
Naveen Patnaik has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar .
The Supreme Court has reportedly issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission of India .
The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday, 5 October 2026, launched a sharp attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that changes made to Form 6 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were carried out without the Supreme Court's authorisation — directly contradicting the Election Commission's own claims. The party reiterated its demand for Kumar's resignation.
Key Allegations at the Press Conference
Addressing reporters at Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, BJD general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar and media coordinator Lenin Mohanty alleged that the Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Election Commission's notification, which had claimed the Form 6 amendments were made with the court's permission. The BJD leaders said the Chief Justice of India had clarified that the Election Commission did not have the authority to amend Form 6 during the SIR process.
The party further stated that the Supreme Court had issued notices to both the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) in connection with the matter.
Voter Exclusion Claims
Samantsinghar alleged that approximately 13 crore voters across the country had been excluded during the SIR process, with around 27.50 lakh voters in Odisha alone affected. She also alleged that Seema Khanna, described as the head of the ECI's IT department, had deleted voters' names from electoral rolls through the ECI Net platform.
The BJD leaders argued that the Election Commission's September 26 press release — which stated that Form 6 modifications and ECI Net changes were made with the Supreme Court's approval — was directly contradicted by the court's subsequent observations.
Bias and EVM Tampering Allegations
Samantsinghar alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Kumar was functioning in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to aid it in winning elections. Mohanty went further, alleging that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were tampered with during the 2024 elections to ensure a BJP victory — an allegation that has not been substantiated by any judicial or independent technical finding.
This comes amid a broader national debate over the integrity of the electoral roll revision process, with multiple opposition parties raising concerns about voter deletions under the SIR framework.
Patnaik's Resignation Demand
The BJD leaders reiterated the demand of party president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They underscored that the Election Commission must retain public confidence as a constitutional institution, arguing that the current leadership had compromised that trust.
With the Supreme Court's notices to the Centre and ECI pending a response, the controversy over Form 6 and the SIR process is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.
Point of View
And a Supreme Court notice — if confirmed — would mark a rare direct judicial rebuke of the poll body's public claims. The charge that 13 crore voters were excluded during SIR is significant enough to demand independent verification, yet the BJD's simultaneous EVM-tampering allegation — unsupported by any technical or judicial finding — risks muddying an otherwise substantive legal argument. Patnaik's resignation demand for Gyanesh Kumar is politically pointed, but the institutional question underneath it — whether the ECI can amend Form 6 during SIR without court authority — is one that deserves a clear judicial answer, not just a press conference.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Form 6 controversy involving the Election Commission?
Form 6 is the form used by citizens to register as voters on electoral rolls. The BJD has alleged that the Election Commission of India amended Form 6 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process without the Supreme Court's authorisation, contradicting the ECI's own claim that such changes were court-approved.
What did the Supreme Court say about the Election Commission's Form 6 changes?
According to BJD leaders, the Supreme Court on 5 October 2026 rejected the ECI's notification claiming court permission for the Form 6 changes, with the Chief Justice of India reportedly clarifying that the ECI did not have the authority to amend the form during the SIR process. The court has also reportedly issued notices to the Centre and the ECI.
How many voters does BJD claim were excluded during the SIR process?
BJD general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar alleged that approximately 13 crore voters across India were excluded during the Special Intensive Revision, with around 27.50 lakh voters in Odisha alone affected.
Who is Gyanesh Kumar and why is BJD demanding his resignation?
Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner of India. The BJD, led by former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has demanded his resignation, alleging that he has been functioning in favour of the BJP and that the ECI under his leadership has compromised its constitutional independence.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision is a periodic process conducted by the Election Commission to update and clean up voter rolls, adding new eligible voters and removing ineligible entries. Opposition parties have raised concerns that the current SIR round has resulted in the large-scale deletion of valid voter registrations.
