ECI Launches Second Phase of Special Intensive Revision to Ensure Accurate Voter Lists Nationwide

New Delhi, October 27, 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday launched the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a massive national initiative aimed at ensuring clean, transparent, and accurate voter lists across the country.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced that the first phase of the SIR had been successfully completed in Bihar, where voter lists covering nearly 7.42 crore electors were reviewed. The same model will now be replicated across 12 states and union territories in the second phase.

The exercise will cover around 51 crore voters across 5.33 lakh polling stations, with an equal number of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) engaged in the process.

According to the schedule released by the ECI, the printing and training phase will run from October 28 to November 3, 2025, followed by door-to-door verification between November 4 and December 4, 2025. The draft voter list will be published on December 9, 2025, with a claims and objections period open until January 8, 2026. Hearings and verifications will continue until January 31, 2026, and the final voter list will be published on February 7, 2026.

The SIR will be conducted in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar said the central objective of this revision is to ensure a transparent and error-free electoral roll by including new eligible voters and removing ineligible names. “This revision will ensure that every legitimate voter is included and no one is left out before the upcoming 2026 assembly elections,” he stated.

The second phase also marks the first large-scale voter list modernization drive since 2003, focusing on digital verification and technology integration. The ECI announced that overseas voters will now be able to update their details online, making the process more accessible and efficient. Starting midnight, voter lists will be frozen in all 12 participating regions to begin the revision exercise.

Each BLO will visit households thrice for verification, ensuring that eligible voters are added and incorrect entries are removed. Online updating facilities will also be available for remote and overseas voters. The Commission has urged political parties to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to assist BLOs in the process.

For verification, voters may be asked to produce documents such as a passport, birth certificate, pension payment order, educational certificate, or government-issued ID. Residence proof, land allotment papers, and certificates from banks or post offices may also be required.

The ECI is placing special emphasis on West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, which will go to polls in 2026. “The Special Intensive Revision is not just an administrative exercise—it is the cornerstone of democratic transparency,” CEC Gyanesh Kumar said, underscoring the significance of the initiative for strengthening electoral integrity in India.