Besides Puducherry, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where assembly elections are to due in 2026, SIR will be conducted in Andaman & Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Published Oct 27, 2025 | 6:04 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 27, 2025 | 6:04 PM
Though the ECI claimed that the SIR is a routine, technical exercise, opposition parties across the country questioned its timing, intent and execution.
Synopsis: The printing and training for the SIR would be organised between 28 October and 3 November, followed by a month-long house-to-house enumeration from 4 November. The draft electoral roll would be published on 9 December, and claims and objections could be raised between 9 December and 8 January. The verification would be held between 9 December and 31 January, before publishing the final electoral rolls on 7 February.
Notwithstanding stiff opposition, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday, 27 October, launched the second phase of the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories.
“In the states where SIR will be conducted, electoral rolls will be frozen at midnight today,” the ECI announced.
Besides UT of Puducherry, opposition parties-ruled West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, are included in the second phase. Assembly elections are scheduled for 2026 in these states and the UT.
Andaman & Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh are the UTs and states where SIT would be held in the second phase. The first phase was held in poll-bound Bihar, which the ECI claimed was conducted with “zero appeal”.
According to the ECI, the printing and training for the SIR would be organised between 28 October and 3 November, followed by a month-long house-to-house enumeration from 4 November. The draft electoral roll would be published on 9 December, and claims and objections could be raised between 9 December and 8 January. The verification would be held between 9 December and 31 January, before publishing the final electoral rolls on 7 February.
The ongoing SIR is the ninth since Independence. The last one was held 21 years ago, during 2002-04.
The ECI has defined an eligible voter as an Indian citizen of at least 18 years of age, and an ordinary resident of the constituency where s/he wishes to vote. Additionally, the individual should not be disqualified under any law.
Though the ECI claimed that the SIR is a routine, technical exercise, opposition parties across the country questioned its timing, intent and execution. They alleged that SIR is being used by the BJP-led Centre to manipulate voters’ list, and remove names of individuals from communities perceived to be against the ruling party.
Incidentally, the ECI launched the second phase even as the opposition alleged vote theft.
In Bihar, it was alleged that nearly 4 lakh names were deleted from the draft rolls, which the opposition termed, “electoral fraud in the making”.
