The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will begin on October 28, 2025, in 12 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal. The move is part of the Commission’s plan to update and verify voter lists ahead of upcoming elections.
Focus on West Bengal and Poll-Bound States
West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry are among the regions where Assembly elections are scheduled for April–May 2026. Hence, the SIR is being conducted early to ensure an accurate and updated voter roll before the polls.
However, the state of Assam, which is also heading for elections next year, has been excluded from this round due to its separate citizenship verification process under the Supreme Court’s supervision.
States and Union Territories Covered
The revision exercise will cover West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, along with the Union Territories of Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Schedule and Timeline of the Revision
Midnight, October 27: Electoral rolls will be “frozen” — no new entries, corrections, or deletions will be allowed from this point.
October 28 to November 3: Printing of enumeration forms and training of Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
November 4 to December 4: BLOs will visit homes to distribute and collect voter enumeration forms. Voters temporarily outside the state or abroad can also apply online.
December 9: Publication of the draft electoral roll.
December 9 to January 8: Period for submitting claims and objections.
January 31: Deadline for hearings on claims and objections.
February 7: Publication of the final electoral roll.
Eligibility and Documentation
Anyone whose name appears in the current voter list will receive the enumeration form. Those who submit the form will be included in the draft list.
To be eligible as a voter, an individual must:
- Be an Indian citizen.
- Be 18 years or older.
- Reside in the concerned electoral constituency.
- Not be disqualified under any law from voting.
For those temporarily away from home, forms can be submitted through the ECI Net App. In case of duplicate submissions (both online and physical), only one entry will be considered valid.
Documents Accepted for Verification
If names cannot be directly matched with the 2002 or previous rolls, additional documentation will be required. The following are accepted proofs:
- Government service or pension identity proof
- Bank, post office, LIC or local authority documents issued before July 1, 1987
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Educational certificate (secondary level or higher)
- Residential certificate issued by the state government
- Forest Rights certificate
- Tribal certificate
- NRC (National Register of Citizens) entry, where applicable
- Local administrative family register
- Land or house deed
The Election Commission clarified that Aadhaar alone is not valid proof of citizenship. It can be submitted as an additional document, but one of the above proofs must accompany it.
Why Assam Has Been Excluded
Although Assam is also due for elections in 2026, the state has been kept out of this SIR phase due to its unique citizenship verification process. The ECI stated that Assam will get a separate notification once the ongoing verification under the Citizenship Act’s Section 6 is complete.