ECI Must Withdraw Mandatory Parents’ SIR Requirement for New Voters

The Social Democratic Party of India strongly condemns the Election Commission’s decision to make parents’ SIR details mandatory in the online Form 6 for new voter registration. This requirement has no basis in the Constitution or the Representation of the People Act, 1950. It has been introduced without the necessary legal amendments. The right to vote is a constitutional right based on citizenship, age, and ordinary residence. It is not contingent upon the electoral history of one’s parents. At a time when the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has led to widespread deletion of names and serious concerns over the exclusion of eligible voters, this new requirement will further burden first time voters, migrant workers, and marginalized communities.

Against the backdrop of the controversies surrounding SIR, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), this move raises grave concerns about creating new barriers to universal adult franchise. The Election Commission must immediately withdraw this unlawful and discriminatory requirement and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure free, fair, and inclusive elections.

M. K. Faizy
National President
Social Democratic Party of India