Form 6 explained: Why voter enrolment is at the centre of Bengal election battle
Form 6 is the prescribed application for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll. It is used by Indian citizens who have turned 18 and are eligible to vote, as well as by individuals who have shifted to a new constituency and need to update their voter registration.
- Apr 1, 2026,
- Updated Apr 1, 2026 1:33 PM IST
West Bengal elections 2026: Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protested outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s office late on Tuesday over allegations of bulk submission of Form 6 by the BJP. Form 6 is an application used for fresh voter enrolment. With West Bengal heading into a politically sensitive phase, Form 6 has moved from being a routine administrative tool to the centre of a high-stakes electoral debate.
What is Form 6 and why it is under scrutiny
Form 6 is the prescribed application for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll. It is used by Indian citizens who have turned 18 and are eligible to vote, as well as by individuals who have shifted to a new constituency and need to update their voter registration. Applicants must provide proof of age, identity, and residence, following which electoral authorities verify the details before adding the name to the voter list.
In West Bengal, the form has become contentious due to allegations of large-scale, coordinated submissions. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused BJP workers of filing “thousands of fraudulent Form 6 applications” to allegedly enrol non-residents and “outsiders” into the State’s voter rolls—an act she termed “voter hijacking.” The TMC argues that such enrolments could distort the electoral base and influence poll outcomes.
MUST READ: 'Coal economy fades': Can BJP fend off TMC comeback in Asansol Dakshin?
Ground-level flashpoint and political allegations
The situation turned volatile when TMC supporters and booth-level officers (BLOs) claimed a BJP worker was caught carrying over 400 Form 6 applications to the CEO’s office. This triggered protests by TMC workers, followed by counter-protests from BJP supporters, leading to clashes. Police and central forces were deployed, and baton charges were used to disperse the crowd.
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee further alleged that nearly 30,000 Form 6 applications had been submitted in bulk, claiming that voters from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were being added to Bengal’s rolls. CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal, however, distanced himself from the controversy, stating that monitoring who submits forms is not part of his mandate and that his role is to conduct elections across the State.
Must Read: Congress goes solo in Bengal: Can it upset Mamata's electoral arithmetic?
Supreme Court weighs in
Amid the political uproar, the Supreme Court earlier this week addressed petitions related to the revision of West Bengal’s electoral rolls. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that bulk submissions of Form 6 are not unusual during elections and that objections can be raised through due process. The Court termed concerns over large-scale filings as premature at this stage.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) told the Court that eligible citizens are allowed to apply for voter inclusion until the nomination deadline. It also clarified that newly added names may not necessarily be eligible to vote in ongoing elections. The Court directed that all objections related to voter enrolment be resolved by April 7, reinforcing procedural safeguards.
Must Read: Battle for Bengal: What BJP's candidate lists show so far
SIR process and verification framework
The controversy is unfolding alongside the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, where voters must submit enumeration forms either online via the EC website or ECINET app, or offline through BLOs. The process involves linking EPIC numbers with mobile numbers and verifying voter credentials at the constituency level.
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), supported by BLOs, oversee the process. Alongside Form 6, the ECI uses Form 7 (for deletion or objection), Form 8 (for corrections), and Form 8A (for intra-constituency address changes).
To ensure authenticity, the Commission accepts multiple documents, including passports, birth certificates, government-issued IDs, educational certificates, caste certificates, and residence proofs, with Aadhaar governed by separate guidelines.
West Bengal elections 2026: Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protested outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s office late on Tuesday over allegations of bulk submission of Form 6 by the BJP. Form 6 is an application used for fresh voter enrolment. With West Bengal heading into a politically sensitive phase, Form 6 has moved from being a routine administrative tool to the centre of a high-stakes electoral debate.
What is Form 6 and why it is under scrutiny
Form 6 is the prescribed application for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll. It is used by Indian citizens who have turned 18 and are eligible to vote, as well as by individuals who have shifted to a new constituency and need to update their voter registration. Applicants must provide proof of age, identity, and residence, following which electoral authorities verify the details before adding the name to the voter list.
In West Bengal, the form has become contentious due to allegations of large-scale, coordinated submissions. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused BJP workers of filing “thousands of fraudulent Form 6 applications” to allegedly enrol non-residents and “outsiders” into the State’s voter rolls—an act she termed “voter hijacking.” The TMC argues that such enrolments could distort the electoral base and influence poll outcomes.
MUST READ: 'Coal economy fades': Can BJP fend off TMC comeback in Asansol Dakshin?
Ground-level flashpoint and political allegations
The situation turned volatile when TMC supporters and booth-level officers (BLOs) claimed a BJP worker was caught carrying over 400 Form 6 applications to the CEO’s office. This triggered protests by TMC workers, followed by counter-protests from BJP supporters, leading to clashes. Police and central forces were deployed, and baton charges were used to disperse the crowd.
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee further alleged that nearly 30,000 Form 6 applications had been submitted in bulk, claiming that voters from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were being added to Bengal’s rolls. CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal, however, distanced himself from the controversy, stating that monitoring who submits forms is not part of his mandate and that his role is to conduct elections across the State.
Must Read: Congress goes solo in Bengal: Can it upset Mamata's electoral arithmetic?
Supreme Court weighs in
Amid the political uproar, the Supreme Court earlier this week addressed petitions related to the revision of West Bengal’s electoral rolls. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that bulk submissions of Form 6 are not unusual during elections and that objections can be raised through due process. The Court termed concerns over large-scale filings as premature at this stage.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) told the Court that eligible citizens are allowed to apply for voter inclusion until the nomination deadline. It also clarified that newly added names may not necessarily be eligible to vote in ongoing elections. The Court directed that all objections related to voter enrolment be resolved by April 7, reinforcing procedural safeguards.
Must Read: Battle for Bengal: What BJP's candidate lists show so far
SIR process and verification framework
The controversy is unfolding alongside the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, where voters must submit enumeration forms either online via the EC website or ECINET app, or offline through BLOs. The process involves linking EPIC numbers with mobile numbers and verifying voter credentials at the constituency level.
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), supported by BLOs, oversee the process. Alongside Form 6, the ECI uses Form 7 (for deletion or objection), Form 8 (for corrections), and Form 8A (for intra-constituency address changes).
To ensure authenticity, the Commission accepts multiple documents, including passports, birth certificates, government-issued IDs, educational certificates, caste certificates, and residence proofs, with Aadhaar governed by separate guidelines.