Election Commission to Announce Pan-India SIR Dates Tomorrow; 10–15 States Expected in First Phase

EC to Announce Pan-India Special Intensive Revision Schedule Tomorrow.

The Election Commission (EC) will unveil the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across multiple states on October 27, officials confirmed. The briefing is set for 4:15 pm, likely to be led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

While the media invite did not explicitly mention the agenda, sources cited by PTI confirmed that the press conference will focus on the SIR schedule, aimed at updating and verifying voter lists nationwide.

First Phase to Cover 10–15 States

The EC is expected to announce the first phase of the SIR, covering 10 to 15 states, including those slated for Assembly elections in 2026. States expected in the initial rollout include Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry.

Bihar, which recently concluded its voter list update, released the final roll with nearly 7.42 crore names as of September 30. The state is scheduled to vote in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting on November 14.

The EC has already conducted two meetings with state chief electoral officers (CEOs) to finalise the rollout plan. In states where local body elections are ongoing or upcoming, the SIR exercise will be deferred to later phases to avoid overlapping election preparations.

Voter Roll Updates and Verification

Several states have made previous voter lists available online as reference points. For instance, Delhi’s CEO website hosts the 2008 voter list, while Uttarakhand has its 2006 list posted. Most states conducted intensive revisions between 2002 and 2004, and these historical records will help verify current electors.

The SIR exercise aims to identify and remove ineligible voters, including illegal foreign migrants, by verifying place of birth and other credentials. This step is particularly significant amid ongoing crackdowns on undocumented migrants in some states, including those from Bangladesh and Myanmar.