On Monday, October 27, 2025, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar clarified that Assam falls under distinct provisions of the Citizenship Act. Consequently, a unique directive will be issued specifically for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls.
Notably, Assam was not among the initial 12 states and Union Territories where this comprehensive electoral roll clean-up initiative was slated to begin on November 4.
During a press conference, Mr. Kumar elaborated that Assam is nearing the completion of a Supreme Court-monitored citizenship verification process. He reiterated that, under the Citizenship Act, Assam operates under distinct provisions concerning citizenship.
He confirmed, ‘The Election Commission will issue a dedicated, special order to conduct the Special Intensive Revision in Assam.’
Next year, Assembly elections are slated for Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The SIR program has been rolled out for the other four regions, but Assam remains temporarily excluded from this general announcement.
Mr. Kumar explained, ‘Assam’s citizenship matters are governed by specific clauses within the Citizenship Act. The Supreme Court’s oversight of citizenship verification in the state is almost complete. Given that the pan-India SIR order of June 24 was designed for the entire nation, it simply wouldn’t apply to Assam in its current form.’
He concluded by stating, ‘Therefore, a separate set of revision orders will be specifically tailored for Assam, and its SIR dates will be announced independently.’
For the other states, the second phase of this intensive revision (SIR) is scheduled to commence on November 4 with the initial enumeration, running until December 4. The Election Commission plans to release the draft electoral rolls on December 9, with the final versions to be officially published on February 7.