ECI expected to unveil countrywide special electoral roll revision details today

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to announce a nationwide special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, marking the beginning of a large-scale voter verification and update drive ahead of next year’s assembly elections.

Officials quoted by The Hindu said the announcement will be made at a press conference on Monday evening. While complete details are awaited, sources indicated that the first phase of the revision will likely cover 10 to 15 states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry — all of which are scheduled to go to the polls in 2026.

The exercise follows a two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) that concluded in New Delhi on 23 October, during which the Commission reviewed the preparedness of all States and Union Territories.

According to the news report, the ECI also assessed the progress made in mapping current electors with those listed in the previous SIR to ensure accuracy and consistency in the rolls.

The move comes shortly after the ECI informed the Madras High Court that the special revision in Tamil Nadu would begin “within a week or so” as part of the national programme.

Appearing before the division Bench of chief justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and justice G. Arul Murugan, ECI standing counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan assured that the exercise would fully comply with Supreme Court directions issued in connection with a similar revision conducted earlier in Bihar.

Rajagopalan added that the commission had already held consultations with Tamil Nadu’s chief electoral officer to ensure the process is conducted in a transparent and time-bound manner.

The submissions were made during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former AIADMK MLA B. Sathyanarayanan, who represented Chennai’s T. Nagar constituency between 2016 and 2021. The petitioner sought a comprehensive re-verification of the constituency’s electoral rolls, alleging wrongful deletions and erroneous inclusions across 229 parts.

The SIR is a critical exercise carried out periodically to maintain accurate and updated electoral rolls. The Commission’s announcement later today is expected to outline the timeline, scope, and procedures for the phased revision across the country.

With PTI Inputs