ELECTION COMMISSION ORDERS VOTER-ROLL RECOVERY DRIVE AS SIR DELETIONS FACE INTENSE SCRUTINY

October 2, 2026 

The Election Commission of India has directed 20 states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been completed to launch a special enrolment drive for eligible voters whose names may have been omitted, alongside the registration of first-time and young electors. The move comes amid mounting political criticism and concerns over the large-scale deletions recorded during the revision exercise.

Under the directive, Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers have been instructed to identify eligible voters who were included in pre-SIR electoral rolls but are absent from the final lists. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will compare previous and current rolls, conduct house-to-house verification and assist eligible individuals in submitting applications for inclusion.

The drive is expected to be completed within a month. BLOs have been assigned a target of verifying 20 to 25 electors each week, with applications collected through Form 6. The Election Commission has also asked officials to coordinate with Booth Level Agents of recognised political parties to help identify voters who may have been left out.

The directive follows concerns over the removal of approximately 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across states and Union Territories during the SIR process. Opposition parties have alleged that the exercise risks excluding eligible citizens from the democratic process, while the Election Commission has maintained that the revision is intended to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls and remove ineligible entries.

A key feature of the new drive is the use of the statutory Form 6 without the additional declaration introduced for the SIR period. The declaration had required applicants to provide information about whether they or their parents appeared on earlier electoral rolls, raising concerns about access for young voters whose family members may have been omitted. The Commission has clarified that the additional declaration applies only during the SIR phase, while regular enrolment outside that period will follow the existing electoral rules.

The Commission has reiterated that voter registration is a continuous process and that eligible citizens can apply for inclusion even after the completion of the SIR. It has instructed state and district election authorities to facilitate the process and ensure that voters who were unintentionally excluded have an opportunity to re-enrol.

The special drive marks a significant administrative response to the concerns surrounding the revision exercise, although it does not resolve the wider political dispute over the conduct and oversight of the SIR. As officials begin identifying omitted electors and processing fresh applications, the effectiveness of the initiative will depend on verification, public awareness and timely inclusion of eligible voters in the electoral rolls.