ECI announces second phase of SIR of electoral rolls in 12 states, UTs

The Election Commission of India will conduct phase two of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced on Monday (October 27, 2025).

The states and Union Territories are: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal will go to the polls in 2026. Mr. Kumar clarified that in Assam, where polls are also due in 2026, the revision of electoral rolls will be announced separately.

He said the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is the ninth such exercise since Independence, with the last one happening in 2002-04.

Mr. Kumar said the first phase of the SIR was completed in Bihar with zero appeals.

"The second phase will be conducted in 12 states and Union Territories. SIR will ensure no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in poll rolls," Mr. Kumar said at a press conference.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar said that draft rolls to be published on December 9; final electoral rolls on February 7.

He said that phase-II of SIR in 12 states/UTs to cover 51 crore voters and the enumeration process to begin on November 4.

The voters' list cleanup exercise has been concluded in Bihar with the final list with nearly 7.42 crore electors published on September 30. Polling in the state will be held in two phases -- on November 6 and November 11 -- and the counting will take place on November 14.

The Election Commission Of India has already held two conferences with state chief electoral officers (CEOs) to firm up the SIR rollout roadmap. Several CEOs have already put the voter lists after their last SIR on their websites.