Election Commission Begins Nationwide Preparations for Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday launched a crucial two-day conference with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from all states and Union Territories to finalize preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls — a key nationwide exercise aimed at ensuring that every eligible citizen’s name is correctly included in the voters’ list before upcoming elections.

The high-level meeting, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, marks the final phase of groundwork before the SIR is rolled out across the country later this year.

During the deliberations, the Commission is reviewing the readiness of state and district election offices, focusing on aspects such as mapping of current electors against the last revision, identification of missing or duplicate entries, and verification of newly eligible voters — particularly those turning 18.

The meeting also emphasizes the training and appointment of key personnel, including District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant EROs (AEROs), Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and Booth Level Agents (BLAs).

These officials form the backbone of the election machinery responsible for ensuring that voter rolls are updated, error-free, and inclusive.

Officials said the discussions will also review the progress made since the previous SIR preparedness meeting held on September 10, where states and UTs shared updates on their current voter counts, previous SIR timelines, and gaps identified in the electoral data.

Based on those reports, the Commission had issued a set of tasks and deadlines — the completion of which is being evaluated in this week’s conference.

A senior ECI official noted that one of the key agenda points is to decide whether the upcoming revision should be conducted simultaneously across the country or in two distinct phases, depending on regional factors such as climate conditions, agricultural schedules, school examinations, and administrative capacity.

What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

The Special Intensive Revision is a nationwide campaign undertaken periodically by the Election Commission to clean, verify, and update the electoral rolls.

It ensures that eligible voters — including first-time voters, migrants, and those who have changed addresses — are correctly listed, while names of deceased or ineligible persons are deleted.

The SIR also helps to:

• Strengthen the accuracy and integrity of electoral data.
• Prevent duplication or fraudulent entries.
• Enhance voter participation by improving accessibility and awareness.
• Facilitate smoother conduct of elections with updated polling station data.

With India gearing up for key assembly elections in several states and the 2026 General Elections on the horizon, this revision drive is expected to be one of the most important in recent years.

Sources said the Election Commission aims to officially launch the nationwide SIR by the end of this year, ensuring that every eligible citizen is enfranchised and no voter is left behind.

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