EC begins SIR-phase 2 in 12 states/UTs

• The Election Commission commenced the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in nine states and three Union Territories on November 4.

• The objective of the exercise is to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll so as to enable them to exercise their franchise, no ineligible voter is included in the electoral rolls and also to introduce complete transparency in the process of addition or deletion of electors in the electoral rolls. 

• SIR was conducted in Bihar from June 24 to September 30.

• After Bihar, this is the second round of SIR.

How will it be conducted?

• Phase-II of the exercise will cover nearly 51 crore electors across nine states namely Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and three UTs namely Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry spanning 321 districts and 1,843 Assembly Constituencies.

• Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal will go to polls in 2026. 

• In Assam, another state where polls are due in 2026, the revision of electoral rolls will be announced separately as a Supreme Court-supervised exercise to verify citizenship is underway in the state. Also, a separate provision of the Citizenship Act was applicable to Assam.

• Booth-level officers (BLOs) have fanned out to hand over semi-filled enumeration forms to electors and will also help them fill the required document.

• According to the schedule announced by the poll authority, SIR will begin with the enumeration stage and continue till December 4.

• Every elector in the electoral rolls as on October 27, 2025 of the SIR bound state/UT will be made available a unique enumeration form, which will be partially pre-filled.

• Over 5.3 lakh booth level officers (BLOs), 7.64 lakh booth level agents (BLAs), 10,448 Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) / Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO) and 321 District Election Officers (DEOs) have been pressed into action to make the SIR progress in a smooth, orderly and voter friendly manner.

• During the enumeration phase, BLOs will go house-to-house at least thrice for the distribution and collection of enumeration forms.

• Electors can check their name and the name of the concerned relative(s) in the previous SIR electoral rolls at https://voters.eci.gov.in/ to provide the details in the enumeration form.

• The EC will release the draft electoral rolls on December 9, and the final electoral rolls will be published on February 7.

• For assistance, electors can connect with their BLOs using the ‘Book-a-call with BLO’ facility on the ECINet mobile app or dial 1950 along with their STD code for the toll-free helpline.

What is the need for SIR?

• In exercise of its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India, Section 21 along with other applicable provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the relevant provisions of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, Election Commission has ordered Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in nine states and three UTs.

• As per law, electoral rolls have to be revised before every election, or as per requirement.

• Political parties have been raising issues relating to the quality of electoral rolls.

• SIR has already been done eight times from 1951 till 2004.

• The previous SIR was done during 2002-2004.

Many changes in electoral rolls have occurred due to:

a) Frequent migration.

b) Voters getting registered at more than one place.

c) Non-removal of dead voters.

d) Young citizens becoming eligible to vote. 

d) Wrongful inclusion of any foreigner.