EC Begins Major Electoral Roll Revision in 12 States and UTs
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday launched the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR 2.0) — a massive voter list verification and clean-up exercise covering nearly 51 crore voters across nine states and three Union Territories.
The drive began just two days before Bihar’s Assembly elections, where the first phase of SIR led to the deletion of more than 68 lakh duplicate and ineligible names from the rolls.
The new phase will cover Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Among these, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry will head for Assembly polls in 2026.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the exercise will ensure that only genuine voters are retained while preventing any eligible citizen from being excluded. “The SIR 2.0 process will be transparent, people-centric, and aimed at improving electoral integrity,” he stated.
How the SIR 2.0 Process Will Work
Under the new system, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door verification across every polling station. Each BLO will visit households three times to confirm voter details and collect necessary forms.
New voters seeking inclusion must submit Form 6 and declaration documents, which will be reviewed by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant EROs.
The field verification phase will continue until December 4, 2025. The draft electoral rolls will be published on December 9, followed by a claims and objections period until January 8, 2026. The final verified rolls will be released on February 7, 2026.
If an enumeration form is not returned, BLOs will record the reason—whether due to death, migration, or duplication—after consulting neighbors. Only individuals who submit valid enumeration forms will appear in the draft rolls.
Kumar explained, “The exercise will help remove illegal or fake voters, while ensuring that the old, sick, and persons with disabilities are assisted in every way possible.”
Focus on Identifying Illegal Migrants
According to the Election Commission, one of the primary goals of SIR 2.0 is to weed out illegal foreign migrants, particularly in border states like West Bengal and Assam. The process involves verifying each voter’s place of birth and cross-referencing details with the voter list from 2002–2004, when the last nationwide SIR was conducted.
This scrutiny has sparked controversy in states like West Bengal, where the ruling Trinamool Congress has accused the EC of targeting specific communities under the pretext of cleaning voter rolls.
The EC, however, maintains that the revision aims to improve accuracy and prevent electoral fraud. “No eligible Indian voter will be left out of the list,” a senior official reiterated.
EC Tweaks Rules After Bihar’s Experience
Learning from Bihar’s pilot phase, where several citizens raised concerns about document requirements, the EC has now simplified procedures.
In the new SIR 2.0 phase, voters are not required to submit documents during initial enumeration. Only those whose names cannot be linked to previous SIR records will have to provide proof when served a notice by EROs.
Additionally, the Aadhaar card and Bihar’s updated voter list have been added to the list of indicative documents for verification.
The Election Commission said these adjustments would make the process smoother and reduce unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles for voters.
No SIR in Assam — Separate Exercise Planned
Assam, which is also slated for elections in 2026, has been excluded from the current SIR phase. The Commission clarified that the state is already undergoing a Supreme Court-supervised citizenship verification process under the Citizenship Act.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said a separate SIR schedule will be announced later for Assam once the citizenship verification concludes.
“Assam’s case is unique because of ongoing court-supervised proceedings. The June 24 SIR order covers all other states, but Assam will have a distinct timeline,” Kumar explained.
Political Reactions: DMK Challenges SIR in Court
The SIR 2.0 rollout has already drawn political fire. The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the exercise.
Stalin alleged that the revision aims to “remove genuine voters” ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The DMK has accused the Election Commission of attempting to influence electoral outcomes through voter deletions.
When similar concerns were raised during the Bihar SIR, the Commission assured the Supreme Court that no eligible Indian citizen would be disenfranchised. Officials said the same safeguards apply to SIR 2.0.