The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the second phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a significant undertaking that will impact voters across 12 states and Union Territories, potentially covering nearly half of India’s vast electorate. This exercise, known as SIR 2.0, is designed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter lists.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar stated that electoral rolls in these regions will be frozen starting Monday midnight. The affected states and UTs are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Notably, four of these states are scheduled for assembly elections in 2026, with others following in 2027, 2028, and 2029.
The revision process is set to begin with enumeration on November 4, followed by the publication of draft rolls on December 9. The final, updated electoral rolls are expected to be released on February 7, 2026. CEC Kumar emphasized the SIR’s objective: “SIR will ensure no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in poll rolls.” This phase is anticipated to cover approximately 51 crore voters.
While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party welcomed the announcement, key opposition parties, including the Congress, DMK, TMC, AAP, CPI(M), and Shiv Sena (UBT), have voiced criticism. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his concerns on X, calling the process a potential “conspiracy by the ECI to rob citizens of their rights and help the BJP” if conducted hastily and opaquely.
A notable change in this revision is the inclusion of Aadhaar as a potential supporting document for inclusion, though its exact role in verifying citizenship remains somewhat unclear. CEC Kumar clarified that while Aadhaar can be used as identity proof, it does not serve as proof of citizenship, date of birth, or domicile. This marks a shift from the Bihar SIR, where Aadhaar was added later following a Supreme Court order.
Special provisions will apply to Assam, which also goes to polls in 2026, due to existing separate citizenship regulations. A distinct revision order and date will be announced for Assam.
This SIR is the ninth such electoral roll revision since India’s independence, with the last major exercise conducted between 2002 and 2004. The recent SIR in Bihar, which involved extensive door-to-door enumeration, led to a significant number of deletions and additions, forming the basis for the state’s assembly elections.
The ECI defended the Bihar SIR, highlighting its success in maintaining electoral sanctity, while opposition parties alleged it aimed to disenfranchise marginalized communities. Political flashpoints are anticipated, particularly in West Bengal, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed strong opposition.
Procedural enhancements have been made for the current SIR phase. Unlike the Bihar exercise, which relied on older data, the ECI has now compiled a comprehensive all-India database of previous SIRs. This will allow officials to cross-reference voter records nationally and identify individuals registered in multiple locations. The process for document submission has also been streamlined, with documents now to be collected only at the verification stage, simplifying the initial enumeration.
Further changes include exemptions for relatives of those already on older electoral rolls and the simultaneous distribution of Form 6 (for new voters) with enumeration forms, allowing for immediate application.
Regarding Kerala, where local body elections are approaching, the CEC confirmed that the SIR would proceed as scheduled, as the notification for local elections had not yet been issued, alleviating concerns about potential deferrals.
The ECI reiterated that the SIR is a standard, transparent mechanism to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls and uphold the constitutional responsibility of preparing fair and clean voter lists, encouraging public participation throughout the process.