Form 6 available online was changed illegally, says Rahul Gandhi
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (October 1, 2026) alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) “illegally” altered the online Form 6 used for fresh voter registration, and demanded to know who within the Commission instructed Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to implement the change. The Congress also linked the controversy to a broader claim of attempts to disenfranchise young voters as part of what it called a capture of the electoral system.
Allegations over Form 6
In a post on X, Mr. Gandhi said: “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?” He further asked whether TCS had been “pressured” to carry out the modification.
Form 6 is the key application for citizens seeking to be added to the electoral rolls for the first time, and changes to its content or eligibility fields carry significant implications for voter registration, particularly for first-time voters.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged that the change was instituted “unconstitutionally” in mid-July 2026 “to remove Gen Z voters from the electoral roll.” He asserted the move was “orchestrated by the PM-HM (Narendra Modi-Amit Shah) duo.”
Mr. Ramesh also cited an interview given to The Hindu by former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) O.P. Rawat to argue that “the chorus of voices against the capture of the electoral system is getting louder.” He added: “Citizens will no longer tolerate vote chori (theft) in any form.”
Technology platforms at the centre of the row
The controversy has focused attention on the technology stack underpinning electoral roll management. According to the 2024–25 annual report of Tata Consultancy Services, the Election Commission worked with the company to develop “ERONet 2.0,” a flagship web-based application for electoral registration processes.
Earlier iterations of ERONet (Electoral Registration Officers Network) were managed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), an organisation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. In January 2026, the ECI integrated ERONet into a comprehensive umbrella platform known as ECINet.
In its customer stories section, TCS describes ERONet 2.0 as a “centralised database that serves as the single source of truth for the election body.” It highlights “an executive dashboard, which is updated daily and offers a 360-degree view of the lifecycle of electors.” The suite also includes a BLO (Booth Level Officer) mobile application that TCS says “plays a critical role for all elections in the country.”
TCS states it acted as the ECI’s “primary technology partner,” helping to give “a digital makeover to electoral roll management.” The company says the application was rolled out nationwide within seven months of launch, with complete functionalities and data migration, and enables “over 1.05 million nationwide officials to handle elector registrations, updates, and deletions efficiently.”
Political funding backdrop
Amid questions over who ordered the alleged modification to Form 6 and what role TCS played, the Congress pointed to disclosures on political funding. Citing contribution reports of electoral trusts for 2024–25 published on the ECI website, the party noted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received ₹959 crore from various electoral trusts in that period. Of this, nearly ₹757 crore — around 83% of the party’s total receipts from trusts — came from the Progressive Electoral Trust (PET), which is controlled by the Tata Group.
While these contributions are publicly reported and legal, the Congress has used the data point to frame its allegations that technology policy decisions affecting electoral rolls coincide with financial backing from corporate-linked trusts. TCS and the ECI have not been quoted in this report responding to the specific allegations raised on Thursday.
Former CEC raises red flags over voter roll revisions
The debate over Form 6 changes has unfolded alongside a broader controversy over the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In his interview to The Hindu, former CEC O.P. Rawat questioned the SIR, alleging violations by the Commission and claiming that nearly 14 crore voters had already been disenfranchised by the process.
Mr. Rawat said it was “the first time since Independence that so many eligible voters have lost their vote,” contending that the Election Commission, which “used to be the gold standard,” has seen its credibility “destroyed.” His comments have been widely circulated by the opposition as evidence for their charge that the electoral system’s integrity is under strain.
Opposition plans protest march to Election Commission
Escalating their campaign, leaders from 19 opposition parties met for over three-and-a-half hours and decided that all opposition MPs will march to the ECI headquarters on October 6, 2026. The demonstration is expected to centre on demands for transparency in voter registration systems, accountability over alleged unauthorized changes to Form 6, and a review of practices associated with the SIR.
What’s at stake
The allegations that an online voter registration form was altered without due process cut to the core of India’s electoral machinery. Form 6 is a gateway for new voters — often 18- and 19-year-olds — to enter the rolls. Any change to eligibility or documentation requirements could, in effect, reshape the composition of future voter lists.
At the same time, the increasing digitisation of electoral processes via platforms such as ERONet 2.0 and ECINet has concentrated administrative and data-management functions in centralised technology systems. While the Election Commission has argued that such systems improve efficiency and oversight, the opposition’s questions now focus on governance: who authorises specific changes, how those decisions are recorded, and what safeguards prevent political interference.
Conclusion
Rahul Gandhi’s charge that Form 6 was “changed illegally,” coupled with Jairam Ramesh’s allegation that the move targeted Gen Z voters, has sharpened scrutiny of the ECI’s technology-driven voter registration regime and its partnerships. With former CEC O.P. Rawat publicly criticising the SIR and opposition parties planning a march to the Commission on October 6, calls for clarity on the provenance of any alterations to Form 6 — and for broader assurances on the integrity of the electoral rolls — are likely to intensify in the days ahead.
