SIR to start in 12 states/UTs on Nov 4; wrap up in 3 months

NEW DELHI: :Election Commission on Monday ordered the next leg of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls — apan-India exercise covering a dozen states and Union territories, and 51 crore electors in all. Enumeration for this phase shall start on Nov 4 and the final electoral roll, with Jan 1, 2026 as the qualifying date, be published on Feb 7, 2026.

Four of the five states/UT where assembly polls are due in April-May next year — West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry — are among the 12 that will witness SIR over the next three months. Assam, though also poll-bound, is not on that list.


Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said Assam cannot be covered by the same SIR norms applicable to other states/UTs as the Citizenship Act has an exclusive provision for Assam — Section 6A — with differential criteria for determining citizenship.

NRC case pending in SC, Assam may sees summary rolls revision
Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said Supreme Court is monitoring the matter relating to ‘citizenship verification programme’ — an apparent reference to National Register for Citizens exercise completed in Assam in 2019 — and it may reach finality soon. “A separate order shall be issued for Assam,” said Kumar.

Sources said that since there has to be mandatory pre-poll roll updation in Assam, EC could, in the absence of a final SC order on NRC, go for a summary revision. “This will avoid complications arising out of conflict between electoral roll and NRC,” said an official.

Other states/UTs covered in this phase of SIR announced on Monday are Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep. They have been chosen for having mapped a very high percentage of their electors as of Oct 27, with the last SIR roll and adequately prepping their machinery with posting/training of BLOs and training of district magistrates and EROs. The last two on the list are UTs without a legislature. Maharashtra, where SC has ordered conduct of local polls by Jan 31, 2026, is not on the latest SIR list, even as Kerala, where local polls are being discussed but are not notified yet, is.

Kumar emphasised that EC would deliver an error-free roll in the 12 states/UTs. “SIR will ensure no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included,” he said. Citing the receipt of ‘zero appeals’ after publication of final roll in Bihar, he said it stands testimony to perfection with which SIR was carried out and cooperation extended by nearly 7.4 crore electors.

Unlike Bihar, the pan-India SIR will not require residents to submit any documents during enumeration phase. Also, a separate box has been added to enrolment forms to record one’s own or parents’/relatives’ details from the last SIR in 2002/2003/ 2004. “Ones not linked to the last SIR roll will be issued a notice to prove their eligibility with one of the ‘indicative’ documents,” said Kumar.

On pressure that BLOs may face in states opposing SIR, EC said it is confident that all states/UTs will discharge their constitutional duty under Article 326 by placing their personnel at its disposal for SIR, and maintaining law and order. On transfers of officers in states like West Bengal after announcement of SIR, a senior EC functionary said it signals that these states are ready for the exercise despite threatening to not allow it.

Sources said nearly 70- 80% voters in the 12 states/ UTs may find a link to the last SIR roll as thanks to digitisation, an elector in one state/ UT can locate their parents’ name in any other state/UT roll from the last SIR. The CEC said an elector is required by law to sign and submit only one enumeration form.

The ‘indicative’ list of documents accepted as proof remains the same as in Bihar. Aadhaar will be accepted only as proof of identity. “If during the hearing, a person offers an alternative document, it will be considered by the ERO,” the CEC said.
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