The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the rollout of Phase III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, extending the nationwide voter list verification exercise to 16 states and three Union Territories. The initiative aims to ensure electoral rolls remain accurate, updated and inclusive ahead of future elections.

The third phase will be conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana and Uttarakhand. The exercise will also cover the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Chandigarh, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

CEC Urges Voters to Participate

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar appealed to all eligible voters to actively participate in the revision process by completing their Enumeration Forms. He said public participation is essential to maintaining clean and reliable electoral rolls.

The Commission described the Special Intensive Revision as a collaborative exercise involving electors, election officials and recognised political parties to enhance the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.

Large-Scale Verification Exercise

During Phase III, more than 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door verification covering approximately 36.73 crore electors across the identified states and Union Territories.

The BLOs will be supported by nearly 3.42 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by various political parties during the enumeration process. The Commission has encouraged all recognised political parties to appoint BLAs at every polling station to ensure transparency and wider stakeholder participation throughout the revision exercise.

Nationwide Coverage Nears Completion

With the commencement of Phase III, the Special Intensive Revision will cover almost the entire country. The Election Commission said the exercise will remain pending only in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The schedule for these regions will be announced separately after the completion of the second phase of the national Census and keeping in view weather conditions in high-altitude and snow-bound areas.

Progress of Earlier Phases

According to the Election Commission, the first two phases of the Special Intensive Revision covered 13 states and Union Territories, involving nearly 59 crore electors.

The earlier phases were carried out with the assistance of more than 6.3 lakh Booth Level Officers and approximately 9.2 lakh Booth Level Agents nominated by political parties.

Officials said the extensive exercise is intended to strengthen the integrity of India's electoral rolls by identifying eligible voters, removing inaccuracies and ensuring every qualified citizen has an opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

The Commission reiterated that maintaining updated electoral rolls is a continuous process and called upon voters, political parties and election officials to work together for the successful implementation of the Special Intensive Revision.

The SIR exercise, conducted by the Election Commission to verify and update voter lists, is aimed at ensuring that electoral rolls remain accurate and free from duplication, ineligible entries or outdated records. Such revisions are considered a crucial part of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process ahead of major elections.

Political observers note that opposition parties, which have often criticized electoral procedures in the past, appear relatively comfortable with the current revision exercise. Governments led by opposition parties in states like Punjab and Karnataka have not raised significant objections to the process and have largely cooperated with election authorities during voter verification drives.

The emerging political narrative has drawn attention because the BJP has traditionally positioned itself as a strong advocate of voter list purification and electoral transparency. However, party leaders and supporters have expressed concerns in some areas regarding the implementation of the revision process, alleging that genuine voters should not face inconvenience during verification and documentation procedures.

Election officials maintain that the objective of SIR is not to remove legitimate voters but to ensure that electoral rolls accurately reflect eligible citizens. The process typically involves door-to-door verification, scrutiny of records and opportunities for voters to submit claims and objections if discrepancies are found.

Experts point out that electoral roll revisions often become politically sensitive because changes in voter lists can influence electoral calculations. As a result, parties across the political spectrum tend to scrutinize the process closely, particularly in states heading toward important elections.

The current debate has also highlighted how political positions on electoral reforms can shift depending on regional circumstances and electoral considerations. While opposition-ruled states have largely accepted the ongoing revision exercise, BJP leaders have emphasized the need for transparency and safeguards to prevent the exclusion of eligible voters.

Election Commission officials have reiterated that the revision process follows established legal procedures and includes mechanisms for citizens to challenge any errors in the voter rolls. Authorities have urged voters to participate actively in the verification process and ensure that their details are correctly recorded.

As the SIR exercise progresses, political parties are expected to continue monitoring its implementation closely. The issue is likely to remain part of the broader discussion on electoral reforms, voter registration and the conduct of free and fair elections in the country.

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.

SC Issues Notice to EC; Mamata Questions "Why No SIR in Assam?", Next Hearing Monday 

In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a formal notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on petitions challenging the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, will hear the matter next on Monday, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal clash just months before the state’s assembly elections.  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was present in court, personally argued that the SIR exercise is being rushed through in three months—a process that normally spans two years—and alleged that her state is being unfairly targeted. In a pointed accusation, she questioned why a similar revision was not being conducted in BJP-ruled Assam, calling the EC’s approach discriminatory.  

Allegations of Large-Scale Voter Disenfranchisement  

The Chief Minister, filing the petition under Article 32, contended that the SIR is arbitrary and could lead to the exclusion of millions of legitimate voters. She cited “logical discrepancies” in names—often due to dialectal variations or marital surname changes—as grounds for wrongful deletions. Her counsel highlighted that over 1.4 crore discrepancy notices have been issued, causing widespread public inconvenience.  

“The fight is for larger public interest,” Banerjee told the bench, claiming she had written six unanswered letters to the EC. She alleged that micro-observers from BJP-ruled states are overriding local Electoral Registration Officers, deleting names without proper verification, and that many living individuals have been erroneously declared dead in the rolls.  

EC’s Defense and Court’s Observations  

Appearing for the Election Commission, Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi defended the process, stating that all notices contain reasons and that agents are permitted to assist voters. However, the bench made strong oral observations, urging EC officials to act “a little sensible” and questioning the need for excessive micro-observers.  

The court also acknowledged practical challenges, noting that completely withdrawing all notices—as sought by the petitioners—might be “impractical.” However, it emphasized that voters must be clearly informed why their names are flagged, especially when discrepancies arise from linguistic nuances.  

Political Ramifications and Next Steps  

The Trinamool Congress hailed the court’s notice as a “big win,” while the legal outcome could directly impact the 2026 West Bengal elections. Banerjee has demanded that polls be conducted using the 2025 electoral rolls, not the revised list.  

With the Supreme Court scheduling a joint hearing of related petitions on Monday, all eyes are now on the Election Commission’s formal response. The case strikes at the heart of electoral integrity and federal fairness, setting a crucial precedent for how voter list revisions are conducted across India ahead of major elections.