The Election Commission of India (ECI) is likely to roll out a pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, potentially commencing later this month or in early October 2025. This initiative mirrors a similar exercise recently conducted in Bihar. The nationwide implementation aligns with the annual summary revision, which is typically due by January 1, 2026.
The upcoming SIR will involve electors across all states and Union Territories, with the exception of Bihar, completing and submitting signed enumeration forms, potentially with required documentation based on criteria established by the ECI. The primary objective of the intensive revision is to purify the electoral rolls by removing ineligible voters and ensuring that all eligible citizens are included. A key focus of the revision is to weed out illegal foreign migrants by verifying their places of birth.
To achieve this, the ECI is introducing stricter measures, including a new declaration form for certain categories of applicants. These applicants, particularly those seeking to register as voters or transfer their enrollment from outside the state, will be required to declare that they were born in India before July 1, 1987, and provide supporting documents to verify their date and place of birth. For individuals born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, they must submit documents proving the date and place of birth of their parents.
The Election Commission will convene a meeting with state Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) on September 10, 2025, to discuss the preparedness for the pan-India rollout of the special intensive revision of voters' lists. This meeting is particularly significant as it will address the logistical and practical aspects of implementing the SIR across the country.
The SIR exercise is expected to be spread over a month. Following the enumeration phase, a draft roll will be published, and claims and objections will be accepted over the subsequent month. These claims and objections will then be addressed within 25 days, with the final rolls for all states and UTs expected to be published in early January 2026. To accommodate the enumeration phase, the SIR is likely to commence a month earlier than the annual summary revision, which typically starts in late October.
However, the Election Commission's efforts have faced some opposition. Opposition parties have raised concerns that the stringent documentation requirements could lead to the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. There are allegations that the ECI has manipulated voter data. The Supreme Court has also directed the authority to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out. The ECI maintains that these measures are necessary to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls and prevent the inclusion of foreign nationals.
