New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the rollout of phase two of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 states and Union Territories, covering around 51 crore voters.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the move follows repeated concerns from political parties about the accuracy and quality of voter lists. “All states that have Assembly elections in 2026 will undergo electoral revision,” Kumar said.
He added that electoral rolls in these states will be frozen at midnight on Monday, after which unique enumeration forms containing voter details will be distributed. Training of polling officials for the exercise begins Tuesday.
States & UTs Covered under Phase Two SIR:
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Andaman and Nicobar Islands
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Goa
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Puducherry
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Chhattisgarh
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Gujarat
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Kerala
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Madhya Pradesh
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Uttar Pradesh
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Rajasthan
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West Bengal
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Tamil Nadu
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Lakshadweep
Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal will head to the polls in 2026.
Kumar clarified that Assam’s SIR will be announced separately as the state’s citizenship verification process—monitored by the Supreme Court—is nearing completion. “The 24th SIR order applies to the entire country except Assam, where separate provisions exist under the Citizenship Act,” he said.
The CEC also reiterated that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, but can be used as an identity document during the SIR exercise.
Phase Two SIR Timeline:
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Printing/Training: October 28 – November 3, 2025
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Enumeration Phase: November 4 – December 4, 2025
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Draft Rolls Publication: December 9, 2025
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Claims & Objections Period: December 9, 2025 – January 8, 2026
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Hearing & Verification (Notice Phase): December 9, 2025 – January 31, 2026
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Final Electoral Rolls Publication: February 7, 2026