Second phase of special electoral roll revision begins across 12 States

The second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began across 12 States and Union Territories on Tuesday, as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) started distributing enumeration forms door-to-door. The massive nationwide exercise aims to clean up voter rolls, link historical data, and ensure inclusion of all eligible electors ahead of the 2026 election cycle.

The SIR process is currently underway in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the enumeration phase will run from November 4 to December 4, followed by publication of the Draft Electoral Rolls on December 9. The claims and objections period will extend till January 8, 2026, and hearings will continue through January 31, before the Final Electoral Roll is published on February 7, 2026.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a press conference on October 27, said BLOs have been directed to visit households up to three times to ensure that every voter is reached and their details verified. “If the elector is not available or there is a delay in matching and linking, the BLOs will visit houses thrice. Electors can also fill forms online. If their or their parents’ names are not in the 2003 list, the ERO will determine eligibility based on documents,” he explained.

In Kerala, District Collector Anu Kumari said the SIR activity has been “kick-started” with enumeration underway till December 4. “Forms have been distributed to households, and voters are required to fill basic details such as date of birth and mobile number. The key task is linking the 2025 voter list with the 2002 list for verification,” she said.

For voters listed in the 2002 roll, no documents are needed, while those not found in it will undergo verification by BLOs, with final decisions taken by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).

The drive, however, has sparked political resistance in several states. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee warned that his party would “take the fight to Delhi” if any eligible voter in West Bengal was removed. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to quash the October 27 ECI notification, alleging irregularities in the process.

Meanwhile, Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer has written to the ECI requesting a brief deferral of the SIR till December 21 due to overlapping local body poll duties.

Despite the objections, the Election Commission maintains that the SIR is crucial to remove duplicates, delete deceased voters, and create a transparent, accurate electoral roll across India.