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EC directs 23 states, UTs to prep for SIR rollout

February 19, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance GS2 (Polity & Governance Elections)
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What Happened

  • The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed Chief Electoral Officers across 23 states and Union Territories to expedite preparatory work for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls
  • The SIR exercise is slated to commence in April 2026, covering states including Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and others preparing for elections in 2027
  • This follows the completion of the second phase of SIR across 12 states and UTs (including UP, Gujarat, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Rajasthan), whose final voter lists were published on 7 February 2026
  • The SIR aims to include every eligible voter in the electoral roll and remove ineligible entries, ensuring clean and comprehensive voter lists ahead of upcoming state elections

Static Topic Bridges

Constitutional and Statutory Framework for Electoral Rolls (Article 324, RPA 1950)

The preparation and revision of electoral rolls is governed by Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA 1950). Article 324(1) vests the "superintendence, direction and control" of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all elections in the Election Commission. Article 325 mandates a single general electoral roll for every territorial constituency, with no exclusion on grounds of religion, race, caste, or sex.

  • Article 324(1): Vests preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections in the Election Commission
  • Article 325: One general electoral roll per constituency — no discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, or sex
  • Article 326: Adult suffrage — elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies on the basis of adult suffrage (every citizen 18+ years; reduced from 21 by the 61st Amendment, 1988)
  • RPA 1950, Section 21: Electoral roll to be prepared for each constituency by reference to a qualifying date and revised in prescribed manner
  • RPA 1950, Section 22: Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) empowered to include new names, delete deceased/disqualified, and correct/transpose entries
  • RPA 1950, Section 23: Enables eligible persons to apply for inclusion during revision process
  • Qualifying date: 1 January of the year in which the roll is prepared or revised (persons turning 18 on or before this date are eligible)

Connection to this news: The SIR exercise is conducted under the ECI's plenary authority under Article 324 and the revision framework of Sections 21-23 of the RPA 1950, representing a more intensive and time-bound exercise than the annual summary revision.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR) vs Annual Summary Revision

The ECI conducts two types of electoral roll revision: the annual summary revision (a routine exercise conducted every year) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), an extraordinary exercise typically conducted 12-18 months before a general or state election. The SIR involves door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), a more resource-intensive process than the claim-and-objection-based annual revision.

  • Annual Summary Revision: Conducted once a year with reference to 1 January as the qualifying date; based on claims (Form 6 for inclusion) and objections (Form 7 for deletion); less intensive
  • Special Intensive Revision: Intensive door-to-door verification by BLOs; involves re-verification of entire electoral roll; typically includes photo capture for new entries; conducted in phases across states
  • Booth Level Officers (BLOs): Appointed for every polling station; responsible for continuous updation of electoral rolls; typically government employees posted in the area
  • Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC): Issued to voters since 1993; mandatory for SIR-linked photo enrollment
  • National Voters' Service Portal (NVSP): Online platform for voter registration, modification, and tracking
  • The ECI has adopted a phased approach: Phase 1 covered 12 states/UTs (completed February 2026); Phase 2 will cover 23 states/UTs (from April 2026)

Connection to this news: The direction to 23 states signals that the ECI is systematically ensuring clean rolls ahead of state elections due in 2027, splitting the nationwide SIR into two phases based on election timelines.

Election Commission of India — Composition and Independence

The Election Commission of India is a constitutional body established under Article 324. Originally a single-member body, it has been a multi-member body since 1993. The Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 replaced the earlier appointment mechanism established by the Supreme Court in Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (2023).

  • Article 324: ECI consists of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of Election Commissioners as the President may fix (currently CEC + 2 ECs)
  • CEC can be removed only through impeachment (same procedure as Supreme Court judge — Article 324(5))
  • Election Commissioners can be removed by the President on the CEC's recommendation
  • Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (2023): Supreme Court directed a committee of PM + Leader of Opposition + CJI to appoint CEC and ECs — subsequently overridden by the 2023 Act, which replaced CJI with a Union Cabinet Minister
  • ECI's Model Code of Conduct: Non-statutory but enforced through administrative authority under Article 324
  • Budget: The expenditure of the ECI is charged on the Consolidated Fund of India (non-votable)

Connection to this news: The ECI's power to direct state CEOs and mandate the SIR timeline flows from its constitutional authority under Article 324(1), demonstrating the plenary nature of the Commission's powers over electoral roll preparation.

Key Facts & Data

  • SIR Phase 2: 23 states and UTs directed to prepare; rollout from April 2026
  • SIR Phase 1: 12 states/UTs completed; final voter list published 7 February 2026
  • Phase 1 states: UP, Gujarat, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Puducherry, A&N Islands, Lakshadweep
  • Phase 2 states include: Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur, J&K, Telangana, and others
  • Constitutional basis: Article 324 (ECI authority), Article 325 (one general electoral roll), Article 326 (adult suffrage)
  • Statutory basis: RPA 1950, Sections 21-23 (electoral roll preparation and revision)
  • Qualifying date: 1 January of the year of roll preparation
  • Adult suffrage age: 18 years (reduced from 21 by 61st Amendment, 1988)