A special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will soon roll out across India, marking the first such exercise in more than two decades. The phased, pan-India campaign is expected to begin within the next four to five days, with each phase spanning nearly three months, modelled on the recently completed SIR in Bihar.
According to The Times of India, the Election Commission (EC) plans to conduct the revision in multiple phases, prioritising states where assembly elections are due next year. Certain Union Territories and states, including Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, may be excluded from the initial round due to weather constraints and extensive voter mapping already completed in those regions.
Phased Rollout and Prioritised States
Officials said the first phase will cover regions where verification needs are higher, while areas where 75%–80% of the electorate has already been mapped against the 2003–04 rolls will be taken up later. “These states can be covered subsequently since only about 20%–25% of electors will need to submit eligibility documents under Article 326 of the Constitution,” an EC official said.
The immediate focus, sources added, will be on the five states heading to assembly polls in 2026. Going by Bihar’s three-month timeline, the final rolls for the first set of states could be published by late January or early February, after the usual claims and objections process.
Key Discussions at Election Commission Meet
Preparations for the nationwide SIR topped the agenda at the two-day conference of chief electoral officers (CEOs), which concluded on Thursday. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar presided over the opening session, assessing the readiness of all state and Union Territory CEO offices.
The meeting followed up on an earlier conference held on September 10, where state CEOs briefed the EC on the Bihar SIR and shared learnings from the recently published rolls. Sources said several states have already mapped up to 75% of their electorate, generating optimism about a smooth rollout of the national exercise.
The EC is expected to finalise the exact timeline for the pan-India SIR within the next two to three days, with a formal announcement likely early next week.