Uttar Pradesh has officially launched its Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR), marking an important step in preparation for future elections.
Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa chaired a virtual meeting with district electoral officers and senior officials to outline the detailed plan and responsibilities for the revision drive.
Under the Election Commission of India’s schedule, Election Returning Officers (EROs) will print pre-filled voter enumeration forms for all existing electors.
These forms will be distributed to Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) between October 28 and November 3.
Along with this, EROs will conduct training sessions to ensure BLOs fully understand the procedures and verification norms involved in the revision exercise.
During the SIR period, citizens across the state will be required to verify their voter details, submit correction requests if needed, or apply for fresh registration.
This can be done either through the BLOs assigned to each polling area or online through the Election Commission of India’s official portal.
The objective is to update the electoral rolls accurately, removing discrepancies and ensuring that eligible citizens are seamlessly enrolled.
Opposition Raises Alarm
As the process rolls out, major opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh — including the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Congress, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) — have expressed concerns.
They fear that the voter-revision exercise may be misused to remove genuine voters belonging to communities traditionally opposed to the ruling party, particularly ahead of the crucial 2027 State Assembly elections.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of attempting to engineer voter exclusion.
To counter this, Yadav announced the deployment of senior SP workers designated as “SIR PDA Praharis” in all 403 constituencies.
Their task will be to safeguard the rights of voters from the backward, Dalit, and minority (PDA) communities, ensuring no legitimate vote is struck off the rolls.
He emphasized that the initiative is aimed at protecting democracy by guarding each vote, reiterating the party’s commitment to inclusivity and electoral fairness.
Government Defends the Process
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak defended the Election Commission’s decision, calling the revision process both necessary and commendable.
According to him, the update will help maintain the integrity of voter lists by identifying individuals who are not legally eligible to vote — including foreign nationals who may have been mistakenly enrolled.
Pathak maintained that ensuring only rightful electors remain on the rolls strengthens democratic processes and enhances voter trust.
With administrative groundwork beginning and political narratives sharpening, the SIR exercise in Uttar Pradesh is shaping up to be not just a technical revision project, but also a major point of political scrutiny and mobilization.
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