What is the current controversy around Form 7?, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Form 7, used for objecting to names on electoral rolls due to death, duplication, or relocation, is at the center of a controversy involving alleged misuse during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is facing allegations that Form 7 is being exploited to delete eligible voters' names, potentially favoring the BJP.
• During the ongoing SIR, approximately 6.5 crore electors' names were removed from draft rolls across nine States and three Union Territories.
• The ECI requires mandatory verification by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for individuals filing more than five objections to prevent misuse of Form 7.

Detailed Insights:

• The controversy stems from bulk submissions of Form 7 applications, allegedly by anonymous or fraudulent actors, seeking mass deletion of voters during the SIR.
• The ECI amended Form 7 in 2022 to allow any voter in a constituency to object, expanding its scope, but this has also raised concerns about potential misuse.
• Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are required to conduct physical verification of voter addresses and eligibility upon receiving a Form 7 application, including multiple visits and neighbor confirmations.
• Names removed from electoral rolls during the SIR are categorized as Absent, Shifted, Dead/Duplicate (ASD), with the highest deletions reported in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
• Concerns exist that unchecked misuse of Form 7 could disenfranchise lakhs of voters, particularly those from backward and marginalized communities.
• Filing a false declaration under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 is punishable with imprisonment up to one year, a fine, or both.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Form 7: A form used to raise objections against the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll.
• Special Intensive Revision (SIR): An ongoing program focused on revising and updating electoral rolls.
• Electoral Registration Officer (ERO): An officer responsible for verifying claims and objections related to the electoral roll.