Delhi begins groundwork for SIR exercise, govt staff asked to verify names in 2002 voter list

The groundwork for a large-scale revision of electoral rolls in Delhi has already begun months before the formal announcement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, with election officials carrying out voter mapping and verification across the national capital.

In a recent order issued following directions from the Chief Electoral Office Delhi, the Delhi government has directed its employees and staff of autonomous bodies to verify their names against the 2002 electoral rolls as part of the ongoing groundwork for the revision exercise.

Mapping of voters already underway

In what officials described as the first such order issued to Heads of Departments (HODs) ahead of the SIR exercise, the communication stated:

“SIR of electoral rolls is being carried out throughout India. In NCT of Delhi also, preparatory exercises for the upcoming SIR are being carried out. As per the Election Commission’s instructions, mapping of electoral roll-2025 is being done vis-à-vis electoral rolls of the last SIR i.e. 2002. For this purpose, BLOs (block level officers) are visiting houses in their allotted part for obtaining electors’ details pertaining to the year 2002.”

Officials said the Delhi government has over 5,000 employees and more than 400 bureaucrats, apart from contractual workers and Class 3 and 4 staff who would also be covered under the verification exercise.

Employees asked to cooperate with BLOs

According to officials, the 2002 voter list has been uploaded on the website of the CEO Delhi to simplify the process.

Electors can search their details by entering their Voter ID or Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number.

The order also addressed employees who shifted to Delhi from other states after 2002.

“They can obtain their details from the ECI website as appearing in the voter list of 2002/2003/2005 (year of last SIR held in that particular State, as the case may be),” the order stated.

Employees have been asked to share the information with Block Level Officers during the ongoing house-to-house verification process and later during the formal SIR exercise.

“…I am directed to get this information disseminated to all employees of GNCTD/autonomous bodies through their HODs for checking their names in the electoral rolls-2002 and sharing the same with their BLOs visiting their homes,” the order added.

Officials say early mapping will ease SIR process

Election officials said the ongoing mapping exercise was intended to streamline the eventual SIR process once officially notified.

“Once the mapping of electors is done, when the actual SIR is announced, further process will be easier because we will have some data. The electors can also get their problems solved and help the mapping process,” an official said.

Political sensitivity around SIR

The Special Intensive Revision exercise has emerged as a politically sensitive issue in recent months, particularly after opposition parties raised concerns over deletion of names from electoral rolls in several states.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the exercise is aimed at ensuring accuracy and removing duplicate or invalid entries from voter lists.