Background
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed State Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to complete preparations for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by September 30. This directive signals a nationwide effort to cleanse voter lists ahead of upcoming elections.
Objective of the Exercise
The SIR aims to:
- Remove ineligible voters from the electoral rolls.
- Identify and exclude foreign illegal migrants by verifying their place of birth.
- Ensure that the electoral rolls are accurate, transparent, and up to date before future elections.
Implementation Timeline
- The revision process is expected to begin as early as October–November.
- The most recent SIR conducted in each state will act as the reference cut-off for the revision.
- Bihar will be the first state where SIR is implemented, after which it will be expanded nationwide.
State-Level Preparedness
- Several states have already uploaded their latest SIR voter lists on their official CEO websites.
- Examples:
- Delhi has published its last SIR roll from 2008.
- Uttarakhand uploaded electoral rolls from 2006.
- Most states conducted SIRs between 2002 and 2004 and have nearly finished mapping current electors.
ECI Review Meeting
- The directive was finalized during a conference of State CEOs held in New Delhi earlier this month.
- The meeting focused on streamlining electoral roll management and ensuring coordination for nationwide implementation.
Political and Administrative Significance
- The SIR gains importance in light of:
- Increased scrutiny of illegal migrants, particularly from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
- Upcoming state assembly elections in 2026.
- Public concerns over bogus voters and electoral manipulation.
- The drive is likely to have political ramifications in border states such as West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya.