Election Commission Extends Uttar Pradesh Electoral Roll Revision Again, Final List Now Due on April 10

The Election Commission of India on Friday announced a fourth extension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, pushing the publication of the final voters’ list to April 10.

The decision came on the very day the deadline for filing claims and objections against the draft electoral roll was set to expire.

In a letter sent to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer on Thursday, the Commission said it had reviewed the request for more time along with “other relevant factors” before revising the schedule.

With this decision, the window for filing claims and objections has now been extended till March 6, while notices to electors will be issued up to March 27.

The Election Commission had announced Special Intensive Revision exercises in nine states, including Uttar Pradesh, and three Union Territories in October last year.

For all other states and UTs, the final electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on February 14, making Uttar Pradesh the only state where the process has seen repeated extensions.

Under the previous third extension announced in December, the draft electoral roll in Uttar Pradesh was published on January 6, with claims and objections allowed between January 6 and February 6, and the final roll slated for release on March 6.

The latest revision has now shifted the final publication date by over a month.

The draft roll released in Uttar Pradesh triggered widespread attention after nearly 19 per cent of voters were deleted, reducing the total number of electors from 15.44 crore to 12.55 crore.

Subsequently, another 3.36 crore voters — about 26 per cent of the remaining electorate — were flagged for verification notices. These voters face possible deletion from the final roll if they fail to appear for hearings or submit documents to establish their eligibility.

The SIR exercise marks a significant departure from past practice. On June 24, 2025, the Election Commission ordered a nationwide intensive revision of electoral rolls — the first such exercise in over two decades.

In the intervening years, voter lists were updated annually and ahead of elections through routine additions and deletions.

Under the current SIR, electoral rolls are being prepared afresh, using the last intensive revision in each state as the base year.

Voters whose names appeared in the rolls during the last intensive revision are not required to submit fresh documentation.

However, those not included in earlier rolls must provide proof of eligibility, including documents establishing citizenship.

The manner in which the SIR is being conducted has sparked political controversy and legal scrutiny. Opposition parties have alleged that the exercise amounts to a backdoor attempt to create a National Register of Citizens.

The issue is currently under challenge before the Supreme Court of India, where petitions questioning the revision process are pending.

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