The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to conduct a special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists across the country, after the recent exercise in Bihar. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states and union territories to finalize their preparations. Sources within the Commission confirmed that the dates for the nationwide SIR will be officially announced soon.
Voter list review and Aadhaar linkage
During a high-level review meeting at the Indian International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi, CEC Kumar emphasized that states must prepare while learning from Bihar’s challenges in the SIR process. Commission officials also confirmed that Aadhaar is expected to be part of the valid documents required during the revision, following the Supreme Court’s directions.
The CEOs were instructed to ensure voter lists are updated and digitized, with not more than 1,200 voters per polling station, in line with ECI guidelines. The rationalization of polling stations was also reviewed to ensure uniform implementation across states.
Lessons shared by Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer
The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar presented detailed insights on strategies, best practices, and difficulties faced during the Bihar SIR. These inputs will guide other states in handling voter list revisions more effectively. CEOs from across the country also shared their own presentations on the status of digitization, eligibility cut-off dates, and availability of voter lists after previous SIR exercises.
Special focus on upcoming assembly elections
The ECI stressed that no eligible citizen should be left out of the rolls and no ineligible person should be included. Suggested supporting documents were discussed to make it easier for citizens to submit proof. The nationwide SIR gains importance as assembly elections are scheduled in 2026 for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal.
Historical voter list records were also reviewed. The Delhi CEO’s office still hosts the 2008 voter list, while Uttarakhand last saw a special intensive revision in 2006. These instances underline the significance of the upcoming nationwide revision, expected to be the most extensive update in recent years.
