Rahul Gandhi questions ECI over Form 6 changes

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned who within the Election Commission of India (ECI) directed Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to make what he described as an “illegal” change to online Form 6, which is used for fresh voter registration.

He also asked whether the IT company was pressured into implementing the change.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that the changes to Form 6 were orchestrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a post on X, Gandhi questioned who at the ECI had ordered TCS to alter the form and who at the company had approved the change.

“The online Form 6 was changed illegally, as the EC’s own Commissioners have recorded. Who at the ECI ordered Tata Consultancy Services to make that change?” Gandhi said.

He further asked, “Who at TCS signed off on it? And were they pressured into doing it?”

Sharing Gandhi’s post, Ramesh alleged that the changes to Form 6 were introduced by the Chief Election Commissioner in mid-July 2026 and claimed that the move was intended to exclude Gen Z voters from the electoral rolls. He alleged that the changes were orchestrated by the “PM-HM duo”.

The Congress leaders’ remarks came a day after the Opposition INDIA bloc announced a series of joint protests over alleged irregularities in the electoral process. The programme includes marches across all districts and five major rallies.

The bloc has also demanded that future elections be conducted using ballot papers and urged the Supreme Court to expedite cases related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged electoral malpractices.

At a meeting attended by leaders of 19 Opposition parties and lasting more than three-and-a-half hours, it was decided that Opposition MPs would march to the Election Commission on October 6.

Opposition leaders are also scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu to raise their concerns over alleged irregularities in the revision of voter lists.

The INDIA bloc also discussed its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and said it would continue its campaign until he is removed.

The meeting followed a report by _The Indian Express_ stating that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period to decisions and orders related to the SIR process. According to the report, they said some of the decisions were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

The Election Commission, responding to questions over the reported objections, has maintained that differences of opinion and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations.

It has also said that all its orders have full legal sanction and are issued in accordance with established statutory procedures.