New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to launch a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in phases, beginning with states that will hold Assembly elections in 2026, officials said on Friday.
According to sources, the first phase is expected to include Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal—states due for elections next year. The EC may also include a few additional states in this phase. However, the Commission will skip states where local body elections are ongoing or imminent, as local poll machinery is preoccupied and may not be able to focus on the SIR process.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the EC is finalising plans for the countrywide voter list revision. “Work is in progress to launch the SIR of electoral rolls across all states. The final rollout decision will be taken soon,” Kumar said during a press briefing announcing the Bihar Assembly elections.
The EC had first unveiled plans for a pan-India SIR while launching Bihar’s revision drive on June 24. The process in Bihar concluded recently, with the final voters’ list—containing nearly 7.42 crore names—published on September 30.
Officials said the Commission had instructed state Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) earlier this month to be prepared for the rollout within 10–15 days. A September 30 deadline was set for readiness to begin the revision exercise.
State CEOs have been directed to use the voter list from their last intensive revision as the cut-off reference. In Delhi, for instance, the 2008 electoral roll marks the last SIR, while in Uttarakhand, it dates back to 2006. In Bihar, the 2003 list served as the base for its recent exercise.
Most states conducted their last voter list SIR between 2002 and 2004. Many have now completed mapping current electors against their previous SIR data to ensure accuracy and prevent duplication.
The primary aim of the upcoming SIR is to eliminate discrepancies in the voter rolls, including identifying and removing illegal foreign migrants by verifying voters’ place of birth. The move comes amid increased nationwide scrutiny and crackdowns on illegal entrants, particularly from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
