Mon Nov 03 16:02:49 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is launching a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and union territories. This exercise, covering approximately 51 crore voters, includes house-to-house enumeration, verification, and the publication of draft and final electoral rolls. Changes from a previous exercise in Bihar include no document collection during enumeration, pre-mapping of current voters lists with those from 2002-2004, Aadhaar as proof of identity only, a signature column for relatives on enumeration forms, displaying lists of non-included voters, and allowing access to voter rolls nationwide. The ECI will also conduct fresh voter registrations during the enumeration process.

News Article:

India Gears Up for Massive Electoral Roll Revision

NEW DELHI, November 3, 2025 – The Election Commission of India (ECI) will begin the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 states and Union Territories tomorrow, November 4th, targeting a comprehensive update of voter information. The exercise aims to cover nearly 510 million voters in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.

The SIR is particularly significant as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry are scheduled for elections in 2026. The process includes house-to-house enumeration, scheduled from November 4th to December 4th, followed by the publication of draft rolls on December 9th. Citizens can then submit claims and objections until January 8th. The final electoral rolls are slated for release on February 7th, 2026.

This SIR, dubbed SIR 2.0, incorporates lessons learned from a similar exercise conducted in Bihar earlier this year. Key changes include the elimination of document collection during enumeration, a pre-mapping of existing voter lists with records from the previous SIR conducted in 2002-2004, and the acceptance of Aadhaar as proof of identity only, not citizenship. The poll body also amended the enumeration form, incorporating a column where a parent or a relative can provide a signature in the absence of the voter.

“These modifications are designed to streamline the process and ensure accuracy while minimizing inconvenience to voters,” said an ECI spokesperson.

To enhance transparency, booth-wise lists of electors not included in the draft rolls will be displayed publicly. Furthermore, voters can now check their names on voter lists from any state in the country, a significant departure from previous practices. The BLO will also have blank Form 6s along with blank declaration forms to provide to anyone who seeks to enroll as a new elector.

The ECI emphasizes that fresh voter registrations will be carried out simultaneously during the house-to-house enumeration process. This initiative aims to ensure that all eligible citizens are included in the electoral rolls, paving the way for free and fair elections.

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