After controversy, ECI caps number of Form 7 applications by individuals - what happened and what it means

The ECI has capped individual Form 7 applications at 10 during electoral roll revision and five per month during routine updates to curb bulk objections. The directive follows concerns over misuse, inconvenience to voters, and officials’ workload.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday directed chief electoral officers (CEOs) across all states and Union Territories to restrict the number of Form 7 applications an individual can submit, in an attempt to curb misuse of the form, which permits voters to challenge proposed additions to electoral rolls or seek the removal of existing entries.

According to reports, the EC's decision stems from repeated instances in which individual electors have filed Form 7 objections in bulk on 'unsubstantiated grounds'. According to the poll panel, this practice has caused inconvenience to genuine voters whose names were challenged while creating unnecessary administrative burdens for field-level election staff.

What is Form 7 used for?

Form 7 allows a registered voter to challenge someone’s proposed inclusion in the electoral roll or seek the removal of an existing entry. The applicant must be registered in the same constituency as the person whose entry is being challenged. Aadhaar-based verification was recently added to the online process.

The controversy over Form 7 applications

The directive issued to all CEOs comes a week after a BJP leader in Karnataka sparked controversy by filing Form 7 applications for several hundred people. According to media reports, Ravi Patil, a BJP leader from the Belagavi North Assembly constituency, is facing charges of abusing Form 7 to seek the deletion of the names of some Muslim voters.

An FIR against Patil was registered at the Belagavi Market Police Station over allegations of misusing Form 7 and illegally deleting the names of roughly 200 Muslim voters from Veerabhadra Nagar during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

ECI caps Form 7 applications by individuals: What we know

Under the new guidelines, an individual can file a maximum of 10 Form 7 applications during the entire claims-and-objections period. Additionally, during continuous updation, an individual can file a maximum of five Form 7 applications per month.

Separately, under Rule 17 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) must reject applications that do not meet the prescribed deadline, format, or submission procedure. Each form must include complete details and the objector’s original signature; signature stamps are not permitted. EROs must also verify the applicant’s identity by checking their details against the electoral roll.

EROs must notify the objector, hear their case, and record a separate statement for each Form 7 application before deciding on an objection. If the officer finds grounds to proceed, the person whose electoral roll entry is being challenged must also be given a chance to be heard before a final order is issued.

How many Form 7 applications could be submitted previously?

According to ANI, Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties can submit up to 50 forms daily before the draft electoral roll is published during the SIR exercise, and 10 per day after publication. Individual electors, however, previously had no clearly defined numerical limit for offline submissions.

The Manual on Electoral Rolls, 2023 already prohibited bulk filings by individuals and required the ERO to personally cross-check objections when one person challenged more than five entries. However, the number of physical forms accepted was left to the ERO’s discretion, creating uncertainty for officials.

(with agency inputs)

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.