In a significant move to enhance the integrity of electoral rolls, the Election Commission has officially commenced Phase 2 of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across 12 states and Union Territories. This nationwide voter list update follows a successful completion of the revision process in Bihar.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar highlighted that the SIR is designed to meticulously verify voter eligibility, ensuring that only deserving individuals are registered and that no eligible voter is missed. The second phase targets states such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Goa, and Gujarat, along with the UTs of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar, and Lakshadweep. These regions together represent a vast electorate of approximately 51 crore individuals.
Key electoral data will be frozen by midnight, and voters will receive unique forms to confirm their details. The commission has directed electoral officers to engage with political parties to brief them on the upcoming revision process. To streamline the process and address the issue of voter migration, an online facility for submitting enumeration forms has been introduced. Booth Level Officers will also conduct thorough household surveys to ensure comprehensive coverage. This initiative marks a renewed effort by the EC to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter registries.