Form 7 row in Assam: Voters flag ‘arbitrary’ deletions as names marked shifted or dead during roll revision

Faridul Enush, a voter from Assam’s Morigaon district, has raised concerns over the alleged misuse of Form 7 of the Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls after discovering that his name was marked as “shifted” while those of other members of his household remained unchanged.

According to Enush, he came to know about the development after receiving an official notice during the ongoing SR exercise. On Thursday, he and his siblings attended a hearing to establish their continued residence in Morigaon Assembly constituency. He described the notice as shocking, stating that there was no clarity on why only his name had been marked “shifted” despite the entire family residing at the same address.

Enush further alleged that the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) declined to disclose who had filed the complaint against him, stating that he would need to submit a Form 7 application to obtain that information. He claimed he submitted the application immediately.

Similar concerns have reportedly emerged from various parts of the state, with voters receiving notices based on Form 7 applications filed through unknown individuals seeking deletion of names from the electoral rolls. Several voters have alleged that their names were marked as “deceased” even though they appeared in person at hearings.

Under election rules, a Form 7 application for deletion of a voter’s name can be filed on limited grounds, including death, permanent shifting, being already enrolled elsewhere, or not being an Indian citizen. Any voter from the same constituency may also apply for deletion of another voter’s name on specified grounds. Applicants are required to provide valid reasons and receive an acknowledgement for filing Form 7.

The surge in Form 7 notices has triggered apprehension over potential misuse of the process for vested interests, particularly with Assembly elections scheduled in the state within the next few months. Election officials acknowledged that multiple applications for deletion of names from the same constituency have come to light.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ratan Sharma said in certain cases complainants were found to be non-residents of the concerned constituency and had no valid basis for filing Form 7 applications. He added that some individuals may have misused their identities to submit such applications.

The CEO clarified that the Election Commission is committed to maintaining an error-free electoral roll and assured that sufficient opportunities would be given to voters to present their cases. District election officers have been instructed to address public concerns and ensure transparency in the revision process.

Officials also warned that anyone found filing frivolous or baseless Form 7 applications could face legal action. “If anyone is found using Form 7 without valid grounds for deletion of a name, appropriate action will be initiated against them,” an official said.

The deadline for submission of claims and objections under the ongoing SR exercise concluded on Thursday, while hearings on claims and objections will continue until February 2. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 10.

Assam has witnessed a significant increase in the number of claims and objections during the current revision. The draft electoral roll, published on December 25, 2024, contained 2,52,01,624 electors, reflecting a rise of over 11 lakh voters compared to the previous final roll published in January 2025.