The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday launched the second phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, covering 12 states and Union Territories. Among these, four regions gearing up for polls - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a packed press conference here, emphasised the revision's role in safeguarding democracy. "This is about ensuring every eligible citizen's voice is heard while weeding out inaccuracies," Kumar stated. "With digitised rolls already in place, we're leveraging technology to make this the most thorough update in over two decades."
The SIR, the ninth such nationwide effort since Independence and the first in 21 years, builds on the “successful pilot” in Bihar earlier this year, as claimed by ECI. It excludes states like Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, and snow-affected northern regions to avoid logistical hurdles, with Assam's inclusion slated for a later announcement. “Under India's Citizenship Act, there are separate provisions for Assam. Under the supervision of the Supreme Court, the checking of citizenship there is about to be completed. The 24th SIR order was for the entire country. Under such circumstances, this would not have been applicable to Assam. So, separate orders for revision will be issued for Assam”, Gyanesh Kumar said when asked as why Assam - which is also poll bound along with Bengal and Tamil Nadu - has been kept outside this SIR exercise.
States Under the Spotlight
The 12 jurisdictions kicking off the revision include:
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Goa
- Puducherry
- Chhattisgarh
- Gujarat
- Kerala
- Madhya Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- West Bengal
- Tamil Nadu
- Lakshadweep
Of these, the poll-bound quartet - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, face assembly elections in 2026, making timely voter updates critical. The exercise will deploy over 5.33 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and more than 7 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) nominated by political parties to fan out across constituencies.
Timeline: From Doorsteps to Final Rolls
The ECI has outlined a structured schedule to keep the process on track:
October 28, 2025: Printing of enumeration forms begins, alongside initial training for polling staff, which wraps up by November 3.
November 4 to December 4, 2025: Core house-to-house verification, where BLOs will knock on doors up to three times per household.
December 8, 2025: Publication of draft electoral rolls for public scrutiny.
December 9, 2025, to January 8, 2026: Window for filing claims (additions) and objections (deletions or corrections).
Up to January 31, 2026: Hearings and verifications for disputed entries.
February 7, 2026: Release of finalised rolls, frozen as of midnight tonight to halt interim changes.
The Enumeration Form: A Voter's Key Tool
At the heart of the procedure is the Enumeration Form (Form 4 in ECI parlance), a personalised document tailored for each potential voter. This single-sheet form captures essential details like name, age, address, and family linkages, serving as the primary tool for cross-verifying against existing databases.
Crucially, no additional paperwork is required at the enumeration stage. BLOs focus solely on form collection and basic eligibility checks, forwarding everything to tehsil-level Assistant Electoral Registration Officers for processing.
Step-by-Step Procedure: How It Unfolds
1. Preparation and Freeze: Rolls are locked at midnight today. Forms are printed and BLOs trained on protocols, including sensitivity to marginalised groups.
2. Door-to-Door Outreach: Starting November 4, BLOs target every household, distributing forms and assisting with fills. BLAs from parties will shadow to build trust and flag issues.
3. Data Matching: Submitted forms are digitised and matched against prior rolls- already 50-70% linked in most areas, flagging duplicates, deceased entries, or shifts.
4. Draft Review : On December 8, draft lists go live on ECI websites and local offices. Voters get 30 days to raise concerns via Forms 6 (claims), 7 (objections), or 8 (corrections).
5. Resolution Phase: Notices for hearings are issued promptly, with decisions appealable up the chain. The goal: A "clean, error-free" roll by February.
