EC Orders SIR in 22 States, Nationwide Voter List Cleanup Begins

EC Triggers Final Phase of Nationwide Voter Roll Purge Across 22 States.

In a sweeping electoral overhaul, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the final phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR), extending the high-stakes voter list “purification” exercise to the remaining 22 States and Union Territories. Following the completion of Phase 1 in Bihar and the ongoing Phase 2 in 12 other states — where nearly 7 crore names were reportedly flagged or removed due to duplication, death, or migration — the Commission has now directed Chief Electoral Officers to fast-track preparations ahead of the April 2026 door-to-door verification drive.

 Officials have been instructed to map current electoral data against the 2002–2004 rolls, the last time such an intensive revision was conducted, in what is being described as one of the most rigorous clean-up operations in decades.

Unlike routine annual revisions, the SIR mandates Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to conduct at least three physical house visits per residence, verify voter eligibility, and distribute pre-filled Enumeration Forms. The exercise will cover politically crucial regions including Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, among others.

 A key feature of this “special” revision is legacy linkage — voters may be required to match their names or their parents’ names with historical rolls from 2002–2004. Those registered after 2004 could face additional document verification during BLO visits.

The Commission maintains that the objective is to eliminate “ghost voters,” remove ineligible entries, and ensure a transparent and credible database ahead of critical 2027 Assembly elections in states like Punjab and Uttarakhand. However, the announcement has ignited a fierce political battle.

Supporters, including leaders from the Delhi BJP, have hailed the move as a necessary crackdown on illegal immigrants and fraudulent registrations. Opposition parties such as AAP, TMC, and Congress have raised alarms over potential “arbitrary deletions,” alleging that vulnerable or marginalised communities could be disproportionately affected.

With electoral stakes high and political rhetoric intensifying, the SIR is poised to become one of the most closely scrutinised administrative exercises in recent years — one that could reshape the voter landscape ahead of major state and national polls.