What Happened
- The consolidated voters' list of 9 states and 3 Union Territories that underwent Phase II of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been pruned by 10.2%, with over 5.18 crore names removed from the electoral rolls.
- Before the exercise, the voter base across the 12 states and UTs stood at 50.99 crore; post-SIR it stands at 45.81 crore.
- Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest net deletion in absolute numbers: 2.04 crore names removed, including 25.47 lakh deceased electors.
- West Bengal saw approximately 91 lakh names deleted.
- Lakshadweep recorded the lowest deletion: just 181 names removed.
- The ECI launched Phase II of SIR on November 4, 2025, covering 321 districts and 1,843 Assembly constituencies.
Static Topic Bridges
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls
The Special Intensive Revision is a comprehensive door-to-door verification and cleaning exercise ordered by the Election Commission of India. Unlike the routine Annual Revision (which updates rolls for new voters and deletions), the SIR involves physical field verification of every entry by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). It is ordered in states approaching assembly or general elections where roll quality is questionable.
- SIR is distinct from the Annual Summary Revision (ASR), which happens every year using Form 6 (addition), Form 7 (deletion), and Form 8 (correction)
- In SIR, BLOs physically visit households to verify existing entries and enroll eligible new voters
- Major grounds for deletion: deceased voters, permanent migrants, duplicate entries, voters untraceable at registered address, and ineligible persons (non-citizens, underaged)
- Phase I of SIR 2025–26 was conducted in West Bengal and other high-scrutiny states; Phase II covered 9 states and 3 UTs
Connection to this news: Phase II's 10.2% pruning signals the scale of roll inflation that had built up over years — ghost voters, deceased names, and duplicates — which SIR is specifically designed to eliminate before major elections.
Article 324 and ECI's Powers Over Electoral Rolls
Article 324 of the Constitution vests superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the Election Commission of India. This includes the preparation and maintenance of electoral rolls under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
- Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 empowers ECI to order intensive revision of electoral rolls in any state without prior legislative approval
- The electoral roll is prepared on the basis of January 1 of the qualifying year; a voter must be 18+ as on this qualifying date
- The ECI can order SIR suo motu and is not required to seek state government permission — flowing directly from the plenary power under Article 324
- Voters deleted during SIR have the right to file an appeal to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and further to the District Magistrate
Connection to this news: The authority for this 10.2% deletion exercise rests entirely on Article 324 read with the Representation of the People Act — the ECI acted independently without state government approval, underscoring the constitutional insulation of the election machinery.
Electoral Roll Integrity and Voting Rights
The electoral roll is a live document. Inclusion in the electoral roll is a prerequisite for voting; any citizen wrongly deleted loses the franchise. Courts have held that the right to vote, while a statutory right (not a fundamental right), is integral to democratic participation and cannot be arbitrarily denied.
- The Supreme Court in Association for Democratic Reforms v. ECI has recognised ECI's broad powers to ensure free and fair elections
- Mass deletions have raised concerns about disenfranchisement of genuine voters — particularly migrant workers, seasonal migrants, and tribal communities with non-permanent addresses
- The ECI's SIR orders require publication of draft rolls and a public objection period before finalisation
- The Qualifying Date (QD) for electoral roll inclusion is January 1 of the relevant year; four quarterly updates are also allowed
Connection to this news: While SIR strengthens roll integrity, the 5.18 crore deletions have invited political controversy about selective targeting — UP's 2.04 crore deletions in a politically sensitive state have drawn particular scrutiny.
Key Facts & Data
- Total voter base before SIR Phase II: 50.99 crore (across 9 states + 3 UTs)
- Total voter base after SIR Phase II: 45.81 crore
- Net reduction: 5.18 crore names (10.2%)
- Highest deletion in absolute terms: Uttar Pradesh — 2.04 crore
- Highest deceased voter removal: UP — 25.47 lakh, followed by West Bengal — 24.16 lakh
- Lowest deletion: Lakshadweep — 181 names
- Total deceased electors removed across 12 states/UTs: 66,88,636
- Phase II coverage: 321 districts, 1,843 Assembly constituencies
- Legal basis: Article 324, Constitution of India + Section 21(3), Representation of the People Act, 1950