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India Today
18 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Form 7 in voter ID: Meaning, uses and how to apply
India's robust democracy relies on accurate and up-to-date voter lists. The Election Commission of India (ECI) provides several ways to manage entries in these lists. Among them, Form 7 stands out as the primary document for objecting to someone's name on the electoral roll or for requesting deletion either of your name or someone else's under certain such mechanisms, errors and outdated entries can undermine the credibility and fairness of elections. This article explains the purpose, process, and importance of Form 7.1. WHAT IS FORM 7 FOR VOTER ID?advertisementForm 7 is a legal application provided by the Election Commission of India. Its main purpose is to let registered voters formally:Object to the proposed inclusion of another person's name in the electoral the deletion of their the deletion of any other person's name due to specific reasons such as death, shifting, or duplication.2. WHEN SHOULD YOU USE FORM 7?Form 7 should be used when:A voter notices a mistake or outdated entry in the list (such as a deceased person's name).The person has shifted residence (permanently moved to another constituency).Duplicate or erroneous entries are present, or someone is incorrectly registered (for example, underage or not a citizen).Only registered voters of the constituency can file Form 7, and each application must specify the reason for deletion or objection.3. HOW TO FILL OUT FORM 7: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDEThe process includes:Mentioning your own details (name, EPIC number, etc.).Clearly ticking the reason for objection or deletion (e.g., death, shifting, duplication).Providing details of the person whose entry you want deleted or whose inclusion you are objecting a declaration that all facts provided are true. Giving false information is a punishable offence under the online or at the appropriate election office.4. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SUBMITTING FORM 7?Once submitted, the details are verified. The Electoral Registration Officer reviews the case, may seek supporting documents or field verification, and then decides to accept or reject the request. The applicant receives an acknowledgement and is informed of the outcome, ensuring transparency in the process.5. WHY IS FORM 7 IMPORTANT FOR DEMOCRACY?Accurate voter lists are crucial for fair elections. Form 7 empowers voters to maintain integrity by eliminating errors, outdated, or fraudulent entries from rolls. This ensures only eligible voters are allowed to vote, helping keep India's democracy free, fair, and registered voters can use Form 7 to object to someone being added to the voter list or to delete a name (including their own).Fill in your name, EPIC number, and mobile number (or that of a relative). Tick the correct reason, such as death, relocation, duplication, or non-citizenship-and provide details of the person you're objecting a declaration confirming that the information is true or making a false statement is punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, article is for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to refer to the official Election Commission of India (ECI) website or their state's Chief Electoral Officer portal for the latest updates and official guidelines before submitting Form 7.- Ends
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
RTI activist: ECI following deliberate doctrine of opacity
BENGALURU: In a scathing indictment of the Election Commission of India (ECI), RTI activist Venkatesh Nayak has accused the poll body of operating under a 'deliberate opacity doctrine — systematically denying even the most basic information it claims to collect from across the country'. 'Appealing against these evasive replies is a waste of time,' he said, pointing to a pattern where the ECI's first appellate authority 'invariably upholds them without batting an eyelid'. The second appeal process, he warns, is so paralysed by an understaffed Central Information Commission — with eight vacancies — that hearings are unlikely within a year. In his first RTI intervention, Nayak probed the Bihar Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls. But under law, no one can slip into the rolls without an Electoral Registration Officer's approval after a detailed 13-step verification, he said. If ineligible names are still getting through, the responsibility lies squarely with EROs and their assistants Yet, when asked for legal provisions to punish such officials, and for a list of action taken since 2015, the ECI stalled, replying after 35 days with vague, non-committal answers, and refusing to even forward the RTI to relevant state officers, he said. Section 32 of the Representation of People Act, cited by ECI, is 'too weak' to deal with deliberate wrongdoing and the Commission has no record of ever invoking it against errant officers, Nayak argued. 'Is this because they've never acted, despite knowing about ineligible entries. Or are they shielding their own officials,' he asked.
Indian Express
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
After controversy regarding his EPIC number, Tejashwi Yadav says Bihar Deputy CM has 2 voter cards
Days after the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for Digha Assembly constituency issued a fresh notice to RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, asking him to surrender an allegedly fake Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Yadav on Sunday alleged that Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha possesses two voter cards and asked if the poll panel would issue a notice 'even after the Special Intensive Revision'. Alleging that Sinha's case suggested that the entire electoral roll revision exercise was a 'farjiwada (forged process)', Yadav questioned how the EC could complete the process when several riverine belts of Sonepur and Raghopur had been threatened by floods because of heavy rain and rising water levels of Ganga. After the SIR draft rolls were published on August 1, Yadav claimed during a press conference that his name had been 'deleted' and that his voter ID card was no longer valid. A notice was issued to him. The EC, however, had told Yadav that he had mentioned a wrong EPIC, which was not issued by the poll panel. Commenting on the EC asking him to respond to allegations that he holds two EPIC numbers, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar said he has responded to the poll panel's queries through speed post, the mode through which he had received the notice. Yadav told reporters Sunday, 'Vijay Kumar Sinha is a voter from two different Assembly constituencies in two different districts. His name is there in Lakhisarai Assembly constituency in the same district and also in Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district.' 'We assume the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had visited Vijay Kumar Sinha at Patna and Lakhisarai and he would have signed two enumeration forms for the ongoing SIR. After the draft roll is published, Sinha is shown a voter at both places. While in Lakhisarai EPIC, his age is shown as 57, and in Bankipur EPIC it is 60. Besides having two voter cards, this is also age fraud…' he said. He asked if the poll panel would show the 'same urgency in issuing notice to Sinha as it did in his case'. Responding to Yadav's allegations, Deputy CM Sinha said, 'After I got my name added to the voter list of Lakhisarai, I had applied to the EC online to remove my name from the voter list in Bankipur. But this application was somehow rejected. After I learnt that my name was still there in Bankipur after the SIR draft rolls were published, I applied afresh on August 5 to delete my name from the Bankipur voter list. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav should know that it is draft rolls and not the final one.' Though Sinha did not respond to the 'age fraud' allegation and how his name was on the Bankipur voter list without signing the enumeration form, Sinha asserted that he has documents and evidence to show that he has taken steps to remove his name from the Bankipur voter list, and added that he has voted from only one of the places. 'I vote from only one place. Last time too, I voted from only one place. The prince of Jungle Raj (Tejashwi) is simply trying to mislead people by giving wrong facts. The entire Bihar knows that he (Tejashwi) plays the game of tarnishing the image of others. He should apologise for making false allegations against me,' Sinha said. Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More
New Indian Express
07-08-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Three nominations received for Vice President election on day one; rejected
NEW DELHI: Three persons submitted nominations for the September 9 vice presidential election on Thursday but all of them were rejected on technical grounds. The nominations were received from K Padmarajan of Salem in Tamil Nadu, Jeevan Kumar Mittal of Moti Nagar, Delhi and Naidugari Rajasekhar of Srimukhalingam Village in Andhra Pradesh. Their nominations were rejected under sub-section (4) of section 5B of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, which deals with the presentation of nomination papers and requirements for a valid nomination. Padmarajan and Mittal attached certified copies of the electoral roll of their respective Parliamentary Constituencies containing their names as registered voters, but these were dated prior to the issue of the election notification. Rajasekhar's copy was not certified by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), and he also failed to submit the mandatory security deposit of Rs 15,000.
News18
25-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Bihar's SIR Drive Nears Completion: 7.23 Crore Voters Participated, 1.2 Lakh Forms Pending
Last Updated: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that, as per SIR orders, those who have not submitted the forms can still do so along with the requisite documents by September 1 At least 7.23 crore voters in Bihar out of the 7.90 crore registered till June 24 have taken part in the special intensive revision (SIR) as the deadline inches closer. The enumeration forms of about 1.2 lakh electors are yet to be received, with Friday being the last day for submission, the poll body said. 'Forms of 7.23 crore electors have been received and digitised; the names of all these electors will be included in the Draft Electoral Roll. The digitisation of forms, along with BLO reports, of the remaining electors will also be completed by August 1," the ECI said in a statement. Speaking to News18, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that as per SIR orders, those who have not submitted the forms can still do so along with the requisite documents by September 1. 'ECI wants to include each eligible elector," he said. Between August 1 and September 1, as per the SIR order, any elector or political party may submit prescribed forms to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to claim inclusion of any left-out eligible elector or to file objections against any ineligible elector. 64 lakh ineligible voters identified This includes 22 lakh deceased electors, seven lakh electors registered in more than one location, and about 35 lakh electors who have either permanently migrated or could not be traced. A combined effort The poll body has credited the successful completion of the first phase of SIR to 'the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, 38 District Election Officers (DEOs), 243 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 2,976 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), Booth Level Officers (BLOs) deployed at 77,895 polling booths, volunteers, all 12 political parties, their 38 District Presidents, and the 1.60 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) nominated by them". The ECI has shared the list of the ineligible and those who have not submitted the forms with all 12 political parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Indian National Congress. The other parties are the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) (Liberation), Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), National People's Party, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). This was done so that any errors can be rectified in the draft electoral rolls that will be published on August 1. The Election Commission's rigorous process aims to ensure a clean and accurate voter list ahead of the upcoming elections around November, reinforcing the commitment to including every eligible elector and safeguarding the integrity of Bihar's democratic process. First Published: July 25, 2025, 18:24 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
