Election Commission of India Launches Second Phase of Special Intensive Voter Roll Revision Across 12 States and UTs

ECI Initiates Major Electoral Roll Clean-Up

New Delhi – The Election Commission of India (ECI) today, Monday, October 27, 2025, officially announced the commencement of the second phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This significant nationwide exercise aims to ensure the accuracy and transparency of voter lists across 12 states and Union Territories. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a press conference, highlighted the initiative's importance in strengthening the electoral database ahead of upcoming elections.

The states and Union Territories included in this phase are:

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Chhattisgarh
• Goa
• Gujarat
• Kerala
• Lakshadweep
• Madhya Pradesh
• Puducherry
• Rajasthan
• Tamil Nadu
• Uttar Pradesh
• West Bengal

This phase follows the successful completion of the first phase in Bihar, which saw the review of approximately 7.42 crore voters and concluded with 'zero appeals' against the decisions of Electoral Registration Officers.

Objectives and Scope of the Revision

CEC Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that the primary objective of the SIR is to create an error-free and transparent voter list by accurately adding newly eligible voters and meticulously removing ineligible entries. This includes addressing issues such as duplicate registrations, deceased voters, migrated individuals, and the wrongful inclusion of foreign nationals. The Commission noted that this is the ninth SIR since India's Independence and the first comprehensive revision of its kind in over two decades, with the last one conducted between 2002 and 2004.

The second phase of the SIR is projected to cover approximately 51 crore voters across the designated states and UTs. The exercise is particularly crucial for states like Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, which are scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2026.

Detailed Timeline and Process

The ECI has outlined a detailed schedule for the second phase of the SIR:

• October 28 – November 3, 2025: Printing of Enumeration Forms and training for officials.
• November 4 – December 4, 2025: Intensive house-to-house enumeration and verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). BLOs are mandated to make at least three visits to each household to verify voter details.
• December 9, 2025: Publication of the draft electoral rolls.
• December 9, 2025 – January 8, 2026: Period for filing claims and objections.
• December 9, 2025 – January 31, 2026: Hearing and verification of claims and objections.
• February 7, 2026: Final publication of the electoral rolls.

The process will involve 5.33 lakh BLOs working at polling stations, each typically managing around 1,000 electors. Political parties are also actively involved, with provisions for appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to ensure transparency. Electors will have the option to fill enumeration forms online, particularly beneficial for urban voters and temporary migrants.

Key Directives and Exclusions

The ECI has clarified several important aspects of the revision. While Aadhaar cards can be used as identity proof during the SIR exercise, they are not considered proof of citizenship or date of birth. The Commission also stated that the revision will not be conducted in Assam in this phase due to the ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, with separate orders for revision to be issued for the state later. Furthermore, the ECI aims to rationalize polling stations, ensuring that no station serves more than 1,200 electors, and will establish new polling stations in high-rise colonies and residential welfare associations to improve accessibility.