The Election Commission of India (ECI) has entered the final phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a nationwide voter verification campaign aimed at improving the accuracy and reliability of electoral rolls. As part of the initiative, around 30 crore voter identity cards are set to receive updated and clearer photographs, while outdated or incomplete address details are being corrected across the country.

Officials said the exercise has already led to significant changes in the voter database. More than 59 crore voter records have been updated so far, with recent color photographs replacing old, blurred, or missing images. The Commission is now preparing to reach the remaining 39.73 crore voters through door-to-door verification conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

The large-scale revision is designed to improve voter identification, eliminate duplicate registrations, and ensure that electoral rolls accurately reflect current residential information before upcoming elections.

Major Changes in Voter ID Cards

One of the most visible outcomes of the SIR exercise is the improvement in voter photographs. According to officials, nearly 30 percent of existing Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) either lacked photographs entirely or contained images that were too old or unclear for reliable identification.

Many of the photographs currently in circulation were captured two to three decades ago. Through the verification drive, BLOs have used mobile-based technology to collect and update recent color photographs of voters without charging any fee.

Another significant change involves residential addresses. Previously, many voter records contained generic house numbers marked as "00." Under the revised system, actual residential addresses are being recorded to improve the accuracy of electoral data.

Focus on Duplicate Voter Removal

The Election Commission has intensified efforts to identify and remove duplicate voter registrations. Under the SIR process, voters were given an opportunity to retain their registration at their current place of residence while removing outdated entries from other constituencies.

Officials stated that maintaining voter registration at multiple locations after the completion of the exercise could be treated as a legal violation. The objective is to ensure that every eligible voter is registered only once in the electoral database.

So far, approximately 2.6 lakh duplicate voter identification numbers have been removed during the verification process.

Technology-Driven Verification

To strengthen the accuracy of voter rolls, the Commission has deployed advanced analytical tools capable of identifying suspicious or duplicate records.

Systems such as Photo Similar Elector and Demographically Similar Elector are being used to detect matching voter profiles across constituencies. These technologies help election officials identify duplicate registrations, outdated entries, and inconsistencies in voter records more efficiently than traditional manual verification methods.

Officials believe the use of technology will enhance transparency and improve the overall quality of electoral rolls.

ASDD Category Helps Clean Electoral Rolls

The Election Commission has also expanded the use of the ASDD category, which stands for Absent, Shifted, Duplicate, and Deceased.

Under this classification, officials identify individuals who have moved away, passed away, remain absent from their registered location, or possess duplicate voter registrations. Removing such records helps maintain a more accurate and updated voter list.

Election authorities say the exercise is part of a broader effort to ensure that electoral rolls reflect only eligible and active voters.

Impact on Elections

Election experts believe the revised voter database could improve the accuracy of voter turnout statistics in future elections. Since duplicate, deceased, and shifted voters are being removed from the rolls, turnout percentages are expected to better reflect actual voter participation.

The updated records may also assist political parties and candidates by providing a clearer picture of the electorate residing within a constituency.

Accurate voter lists are considered a critical component of free and fair elections, helping election administrators allocate resources more effectively and reducing the scope for electoral discrepancies.