New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday announced the launch of Phase II of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, covering 12 states and Union territories. The move comes after the completion of the first phase in Bihar, which became a major political flashpoint between the BJP and Congress ahead of the state assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Kumar said, “The second phase of SIR will be carried out in 12 States and UTs,” adding that the exercise aims to ensure greater transparency and accuracy in India’s voter database.
The 12 regions included in Phase II are Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
The Chief Election Commissioner informed that voters in these regions will be matched against the 2002, 2003, and 2004 voting lists to verify records and eliminate duplication. “The electoral rolls in these states will be frozen at midnight today,” he said, adding that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will begin printing unique enumeration forms (EFs) for voters from October 27 onwards.
These forms will contain pre-filled details from the existing voter lists and previous SIR records. The training of polling officials for the second phase will begin on October 28, Kumar confirmed.
At the pre-enumeration stage, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door visits at least three times to collect accurate voter data. Citizens who are temporarily away or unavailable during office hours will have the option to submit their details online.
“SIR will ensure that no eligible voter is left out and no ineligible name remains on the rolls,” Kumar emphasised.
The draft electoral rolls for this phase will be published on December 9, 2025, while the final rolls will be released on February 7, 2026. The CEC also clarified that Aadhaar will only be used as an identity proof during the revision process, not as a mandatory verification tool.
The Election Commission’s large-scale voter roll revision aims to strengthen the integrity of India’s democratic process and ensure fair representation in upcoming elections.
