New Delhi: State election officials in Maharashtra have written to the Election Commission of India seeking changes in Form 6, which is currently being used to enlist voters left out earlier in the ongoing SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of the electoral rolls, reported the Indian Express.The officials on the ground are reportedly facing difficulties in trying to convince voters to sign Form 6, which in its current format, refers to a legal clause pertaining to punitive action in case information provided by the voters is found to be false. Form 6 does carry a line stating ‘I am applying for inclusion in Electoral Roll for the first time and my name is not included in any Assembly Constituency/Parliamentary Constituency.’ The said form, which was intended to enlist first-time voters, also goes on to mention that a ‘false declaration under Section 31 of the Representation of People Act, 1950 can invite punishment which includes imprisonment of up to a year or fine, or both.’As reported by The Wire earlier in July, Form 6 has conveniently undergone certain alterations at the behest of the Election Commission without parliament scrutiny. Former Election Commission officials, The Wire had spoken to then, were critical of changes being introduced in Form 6 even during Bihar SIR, terming the EC’s decision as “ipso facto illegal.”Issues related to changes in Form 6 was the bone of contention even between the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other two Election Commissioners namely Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Sandhu, as reported by the Indian Express last month. Joshi said that the Form 6 cannot be changed without the government amending the rules, to which Sandhu had agreed.