India's Election Commission (EC) has launched the second phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program, a comprehensive effort to update and verify voter rolls across 12 states and Union Territories. This initiative, which aims to ensure accurate, inclusive, and fair electoral participation, is particularly significant ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal in 2026. The enumeration phase of SIR Phase 2 began on November 4, 2025, and will continue until December 4, 2025.
What is SIR?
SIR, or Special Intensive Revision, is a comprehensive door-to-door verification and correction drive initiated by the Election Commission of India to update electoral rolls. It is a more thorough process than regular revisions, involving house-to-house enumeration and fresh verification to ensure that only eligible voters are registered and ineligible ones are removed. The primary objectives of SIR are to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls by removing duplicate or deceased voters, include eligible citizens who may have been previously omitted, and strengthen public trust in the election process.
BLO Visits and Enumeration Forms
As part of SIR Phase 2, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door visits to distribute and collect enumeration forms. These forms will contain pre-printed information, including the voter's name, EPIC number, assembly and state details, and photograph. Voters are required to verify these details and fill in the remaining information, such as date of birth, Aadhaar number (optional), and details of parents, spouse, or guardian. Voters can also complete the enumeration process online. The BLOs are expected to make up to three visits to each household to ensure no voter is left out. During these visits, BLOs will carry identification cards with QR codes that can be scanned to verify their identity.
Required Documents
While no documents are mandatory during the house visits for the enumeration phase, the Election Commission has specified 13 documents that can be used for verification. These include:
- Identity card or Pension Payment Order from Central/State Government or PSU.
- Government-issued identity card, certificate, or document from a local authority, bank, post office, LIC, or PSU before July 1, 1987.
- Birth certificate issued by a competent authority.
- Passport issued by the Government of India.
- Matriculation or educational certificate from a recognised board or university.
- Permanent residence certificate from the competent state authority.
- Forest Right Certificate issued by an authorised agency.
- OBC/SC/ST or caste certificate issued by the competent authority.
- Record from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) where applicable.
- Family register prepared by state or local authorities.
- Land or house allotment certificate issued by the government.
- Aadhaar card (only as proof of identity, not citizenship).
- Extract from the Bihar SIR electoral roll as of July 1, 2025.
It's important to note that Aadhaar alone is not sufficient to prove citizenship or age. Voters submitting Aadhaar may need to provide another eligible document for verification.
Online Options
Voters can check or correct their details online at voters.eci.gov.in. For those who have changed addresses within the same assembly constituency, Form 8A must be filled out to update the details. If the move is to another constituency, Form 6 is required for inclusion in the new roll. These forms can be submitted online or offline through BLOs.
Key Dates
- Enumeration Phase: November 4 to December 4, 2025.
- Publication of Draft Electoral Rolls: December 9, 2025.
- Claims & Objection Period: December 9, 2025, to January 8, 2026.
- Notice Phase (Hearing & Verification): December 9, 2025, to January 31, 2026.
- Publication of Final Electoral Rolls: February 7, 2026.
The Election Commission has urged all eligible citizens to participate in the SIR Phase 2 to ensure accurate and up-to-date voter lists. Political parties have also been requested to cooperate and ensure that no genuine voter is left out of the rolls.
