New Directions Aim to Curb Bulk and Unsubstantiated Objections, EROs Asked to Verify Signatures, Hear Objectors and Ensure Due Process
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, October 10, 2026
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has prescribed limits on the filing of Form 7 applications by individual electors, both online and offline, to discourage bulk objections against entries in electoral rolls and reduce unnecessary inconvenience to voters and workload on election officials.
In a letter dated October 9, 2026, bearing reference No. 23/Inst/2026-ERS, addressed to the Chief Electoral Officers of all States and Union Territories, the Commission issued detailed directions regarding the filing, verification and disposal of Form 7 applications.
The directions seek to prevent the filing of objections on unsubstantiated grounds while ensuring that genuine objections are examined in accordance with the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Maximum 10 Form 7 Applications During Claims and Objections Period
One of the most significant provisions of the new directions is the ceiling on the number of Form 7 applications an individual elector may submit.
According to the Commission, an individual elector may file a maximum of 10 Form 7 applications during the entire period of claims and objections. During the period of continuous updating of electoral rolls, the limit has been fixed at five applications per month.
The restrictions apply to both online and offline submissions. The Commission stated that although a limit had already been prescribed for online applications processed at a time, the number of physical forms submitted in bulk had not been clearly defined, leaving the matter to the discretion of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
The new limits are intended to bring greater consistency to the handling of objections and discourage excessive filings by individual electors.
Who Can File Form 7?
The Commission has reiterated that, under Rule 13(2) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, an objection to the proposed inclusion of a name or an application for deletion of a name from the electoral roll must be submitted in Form 7.
Such an application can be filed only by a person whose name is already included in the electoral roll of the constituency concerned.
The Commission has also clarified that every Form 7 application requires examination by the ERO in accordance with the applicable rules. The filing of an objection does not automatically result in the deletion of a voter's name.
Bulk Applications by Political Parties' Booth-Level Agents
The Commission has separately specified conditions for bulk submissions by Booth-Level Agents (BLAs) of recognised political parties during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) period.
Under the directions, a BLA may submit a maximum of 50 forms per day to the Booth-Level Officer (BLO) before publication of the draft electoral roll. After publication of the draft roll, the limit is reduced to 10 forms per day.
The Commission referred to the provisions of the Manual on Electoral Rolls, 2023, which state that bulk claims and objections submitted by an individual, including applications sent by post, should not be entertained.
It also emphasised the requirement for personal cross-verification by the ERO when the same person is the objector in more than five cases.
Original Signature and Complete Details Mandatory
The Commission has directed EROs to ensure that all required particulars are properly filled in Form 7 and that the form carries the objector's signature in the appropriate place.
It has specifically clarified that a seal bearing a signature cannot substitute for the original signature of the objector.
EROs must also verify the genuineness of the applicant by checking the relevant details against the electoral roll.
These requirements are intended to ensure the authenticity of objections and help prevent the misuse of the electoral-roll revision process.
Personal Hearing and Verification Before Disposal
The new directions place particular emphasis on procedural safeguards before an objection is decided.
Under Rule 17 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, claims or objections that are not submitted within the prescribed period or in the specified form and manner are liable to be rejected by the ERO.
Where an objection is not disposed of under Rule 17 or Rule 18, the ERO must issue notice to the objector, hear the person personally, record the person's statement separately for each Form 7 application and satisfy himself or herself about the validity of the objections.
The ERO must then process the application under Rules 19 and 20 of the 1960 Rules, providing an opportunity of hearing to the person whose name is being objected to before passing an order.
Thus, the directions underline that objections must be examined individually and that the affected elector must receive an opportunity to be heard before a decision is taken.
Action Against Knowingly False Complaints
The Commission has also warned that action should be taken against an applicant if the ERO finds that a complaint is false or fabricated and that the applicant knowingly submitted false information.
This provision seeks to discourage deliberate misuse of Form 7 to raise baseless objections against voters.
At the same time, the prescribed procedure requires election officials to verify the facts and follow the applicable rules before reaching a decision.
Focus on Transparency and Protection of Electoral Rolls
The Election Commission's directions establish clearer numerical limits for individual electors, while also setting daily submission limits for political parties' booth-level agents during the SIR process.
The instructions place responsibility on EROs to check the authenticity of applications, verify signatures, examine objections on their merits, conduct hearings where required and provide an opportunity for the affected person to respond.
The overall objective is to discourage bulk and unsubstantiated objections, reduce the administrative burden on field-level election officials and ensure that the inclusion or deletion of names from electoral rolls is carried out in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure.
The directions do not eliminate the right to raise genuine objections. Instead, they regulate the number and processing of applications while emphasising verification, individual consideration and due process.
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