The Election Commission is conducting Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to update the voter lists across the country. Its purpose is to correct mistakes and remove ineligible or duplicate names. This campaign, which started from Bihar, is now running in phases in many states.
New Delhi [भारत]July 26 (ANI): Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being carried out in phases across the country to ensure that the electoral rolls are accurate, up-to-date and free from ineligible or duplicate entries, and also to ensure that no eligible voter is left out.
SIR campaign is running in phases across the country.
According to an Election Commission of India (ECI) press note, SIR was first launched in Bihar ahead of the 2025 state assembly elections. The process included door-to-door enumeration by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), distribution and collection of enumeration forms, publication of the draft voter list, a special period for filing claims and objections and publication of the final voter list after proper verification.
A similar process was followed during the second phase in Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry between October 2025 and April 2026. He further informed the House that the third phase of SIR is currently underway or proposed in the remaining states and union territories that were not included in the first two phases, including the National Capital Territory of Delhi. This is as per a schedule notified by the ECI, which may be amended from time to time depending on operational requirements.
Procedure and security measures for removing names of voters
During this entire process, consolidated data on enumeration, additions, deletions and corrections is compiled and published by the ECI on its official website and by the Chief Electoral Officers of the respective States and Union Territories along with the progress of amendments. According to the ECI press note, deletion of names during SIR is done only after proper verification through door-to-door enumeration by BLOs and broadly falls into four categories: death of the voter, permanent change of residence, duplicate entries of the same voter at more than one place, and non-traceability of the voter despite repeated visits.
The Minister informed the House that the safeguards implemented by the ECI to prevent wrongful deletion of eligible voters include prior intimation and door-to-door visits by BLOs, wherein at least two-three attempts are made before a voter is considered unavailable; The name is removed only after recording the reasons in the prescribed enumeration format and following the procedure under the Electoral Registration Rules, 1960; Publication of draft voter lists and a statutory period for filing claims and objections before the lists are finalized; Provision for appeal before the District Magistrate or designated appellate authority and option to further approach the Chief Electoral Officer; and deployment of booth level agents nominated by political parties to verify entries and flag discrepancies during the counting and claims and objections stages.
Supreme Court also approved SIR
The Supreme Court on May 27, 2026 in Association for Democratic Reforms and Others vs Election Commission of India and Others [W.P. (C) 640 of 2025] In its judgment in the case, it, inter alia, held that the SIR exercise is within the statutory mandate of the ECI under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and is in line with the constitutional obligation of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections under Article 324.
Internal quality check is done by the commission
According to the ECI press note, the Commission conducts internal quality checks at each stage of the SIR, including cross-verification of BLO calculations through supervisory authorities, random sample audit of deleted entries, and public disclosure of the draft and final lists to enable scrutiny by political parties and voters. Complaints received during the claims and objections period are scrutinized and, if found valid, names are restored before finalizing the list. (ANI)
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