Mon Feb 23 09:52:01 UTC 2026: # Tamil Nadu Finalizes Electoral Roll After Special Intensive Revision, 70 Lakh Voters Deleted
The Story:
Tamil Nadu’s final electoral roll was published on February 23, 2026, following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI) after a Supreme Court directive. The revision resulted in the deletion of approximately 70 lakh voters from the draft electoral roll. While new voters were added, the extensive deletion highlights a significant effort to clean up discrepancies and inaccuracies within the voter database.
District Election Officers released the numbers for their respective districts, and Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik addressed the media in Chennai to provide an overview of the finalized rolls and the procedures for continuous updates and appeals. The final electoral roll reflects a total of 5,67,07,380 electors across the state.
Key Points:
* The final electoral roll was published on February 23, 2026, after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
* Approximately 70 lakh voters were deleted from the draft electoral roll in Tamil Nadu.
* 27,53,796 new voters were added to the final electoral roll after receiving 27,85,195 Form 6 applications.
* 4,23,172 entries were deleted from the voter list after receiving 4,38,425 applications for deletion.
* The final electoral roll includes 5,67,07,380 electors: 2,77,38,925 men, 2,89,60,838 women, and 7,617 third gender voters.
* A significant number of voters were removed due to shifting of residence, multiple entries, and deaths.
* The soft copies of the final electoral roll will be uploaded to the official website, enabling eligible voters to enroll or apply for changes.
* The Supreme Court of India ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI), on January 30, 2026 to display the list of the names of the persons figuring in the category of “logical discrepancies” at public places.
Key Takeaways:
* The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process resulted in a substantial overhaul of Tamil Nadu’s electoral rolls, suggesting previous inaccuracies or inflated numbers.
* The ECI is actively working to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter lists, responding to directives from the Supreme Court.
* Continuous updation process has begun, and eligible voters can enroll or apply for changes, ensuring ongoing data accuracy.
* The gender skew of more women being deleted than men from the draft electoral roll highlights the need for further analysis into the reasons for such discrepancies.
* The publication of the final electoral roll marks a crucial step in preparation for upcoming elections, providing a more accurate representation of eligible voters.
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