New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has started the third phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 19 States and Union Territories, aiming to update voter lists and ensure that eligible citizens are included ahead of upcoming elections.
Under the latest phase, the revision exercise is being carried out in 16 States and 3 Union Territories. The process is focused on preparing error free electoral rolls by identifying eligible voters, removing duplicate or ineligible entries and updating voter information through both physical verification and digital submission methods.
The Election Commission has allowed citizens to submit the required forms through both online and offline modes. Voters can either fill out forms through Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during field verification drives or complete the process digitally through the official voter services portal and ECI applications. This move is expected to make voter registration and verification more accessible, especially for people living in urban areas, migrant workers and first time voters.
According to the Election Commission, the objective of the Special Intensive Revision is to ensure that no eligible voter is left out and no ineligible person remains on the electoral roll. The exercise includes fresh enrolments, corrections, deletions and verification of existing voter records. Officials have stated that the revision process is being conducted in a phased manner to manage the large scale verification exercise efficiently.
The SIR process has gained significant attention because it involves large scale scrutiny of electoral records. During previous phases, Booth Level Officers conducted house to house verification, distributed enumeration forms and collected voter information for updating electoral rolls. The Election Commission has also encouraged voters to use digital platforms to reduce delays and improve transparency in the process.
The voter revision exercise is being carried out under provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which empowers the Election Commission to prepare and revise electoral rolls. The constitutional authority for such exercises comes from Article 324, which gives the ECI responsibility for supervising elections and electoral roll preparation across the country.
Officials have urged citizens to verify their details and submit forms within the prescribed timelines to avoid any issues related to voter registration. The Commission has maintained that the revision process is intended to strengthen the accuracy and credibility of electoral rolls before future elections.