On November 4, 2025, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to commence the enumeration phase of a special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories (UTs). This large-scale exercise aims to update the voter lists comprehensively, covering nearly 510 million eligible voters in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. The importance of this exercise is underscored by the fact that several of these regions—including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry—are scheduled to hold elections in 2026, making the accuracy of electoral rolls critical for a smooth democratic process.
This SIR exercise follows a precedent set earlier in the year in Bihar, where the first round of the clean-up resulted in the removal of over 6.8 million names from the voter lists. The Bihar experience has informed various adjustments in the current iteration of the SIR, known as SIR 2.0, which is designed to enhance the effectiveness and accuracy of the electoral database across the country.
The enumeration process, which involves house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), will be conducted over a month-long period, from November 4 to December 4. Following the enumeration, the Election Commission will publish draft electoral rolls on December 9. This will be the starting point for a month-long window from December 9 to January 8 during which claims, objections, and corrections can be submitted by voters. The authorities will issue notices, conduct hearings, and verify claims through January 31, aiming to finalize and publish the updated electoral rolls by February 7, 2026.
Significantly, most of the States involved in this exercise last conducted their SIR between 2002 and 2004. Since then, voter lists have not undergone such comprehensive revisions, making this exercise critical to eliminating outdated, duplicate, or ineligible entries. The Election Commission has also introduced several procedural changes based on lessons learned from Bihar’s earlier SIR.
One of the most notable changes in SIR 2.0 is the directive that no documents will be collected from electors during the enumeration phase. This decision aims to streamline the process, reducing the burden on voters and preventing unnecessary delays. It was observed that many voters could already be matched to the existing rolls prepared during the previous SIR, making document collection at this stage redundant.
Prior to the official announcement of SIR 2.0, the Election Commission initiated a pre-mapping exercise, comparing current voter lists with those maintained between 2002 and 2004. This effort helps identify electors whose names are already registered, thereby exempting them from needing to submit any of the 11 documents previously required during enumeration. For this exercise, Aadhaar has been introduced as a twelfth acceptable document, but solely as proof of identity and explicitly not as proof of citizenship, in line with Supreme Court directives.
The enumeration form used in this exercise has also been modified to improve flexibility and inclusivity. Now, if an elector is unavailable or unable to sign the form, a parent or relative can provide a signature, which must then be counter-signed by the BLO. For cases where enumeration forms are not returned, the BLO is tasked with investigating reasons, such as possible death or duplication, by consulting with neighbors and documenting these findings comprehensively. This ensures that potential errors or omissions are addressed proactively.
To maintain transparency and public awareness, booth-wise lists of electors who have not submitted enumeration forms will be displayed publicly on notice boards at Panchayat Bhavans, urban local body offices, and block development officer offices. These lists will include reasons for non-inclusion, offering voters a clear opportunity to rectify any issues before the final rolls are published.
After the draft rolls’ publication, electoral registration officers will send notices to those electors whose names could not be matched with the previous SIR data. These individuals will need to verify their eligibility to be included in the updated rolls.
A significant improvement from the Bihar experience is that voter rolls from all States will be accessible for mapping not only voters’ names but also those of their parents or guardians. This means voters can verify their registration status not just within their current State of residence but across the entire country, enhancing transparency and