The Tamil Nadu Revenue Employees' Associations said the SIR deadlines were “unrealistic” and placed undue burden on field officials already engaged in routine administrative work. Their decision comes days after Kerala escalated its objections by moving the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the SIR until local body elections conclude in the state.
The Kerala government told the Court that conducting the SIR alongside the two-phase local elections on December 9 and 11 was impractical, noting that the draft roll is scheduled for publication on December 4. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has also filed a separate petition requesting the suspension of the revision process, arguing that simultaneous rolls-revision could disrupt election preparations.
Despite resistance, the Election Commission said 50.11 crore SIR forms have already been distributed across 12 states and Union Territories, reaching more than 98% of registered voters. These states include Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and others.
Meanwhile, the Commission has ordered a separate SIR for Assam with a different timeline. The state will verify existing voters and add those turning 18 by January 1, 2026, with the final roll expected on February 10. Door-to-door verification begins on November 22.
In West Bengal, the EC is deploying an AI-based facial-matching system to detect duplicate, fake, and deceased voters after repeated complaints of fraudulent enrolments. Officials clarified that AI will only support verification, while BLOs will continue to conduct mandatory in-person checks.
As political parties assess the impact of the ongoing revision, Congress has convened a review meeting with leaders from all 12 states where SIR is underway, following its electoral setback in Bihar.
