- ECI directs special drive for left-out, first-time, young voters.
- BLOs to conduct door-to-door verification for eligible voter enrollment.
- Special camps organized to facilitate voter registration across states.
Amid the EC-SIR row, the Election Commission of India has directed states and union territories where the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been completed to conduct a special drive to identify and enrol voters who may have been left out.
The ECI stated that during the enumeration phase of the SIR exercise, each BLO prepared a list of voters classified as absent, shifted, dead, duplicate, etc. This move comes amid the removal of around 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across states and Union Territories during the SIR.
However, this figure refers to deletions from the draft rolls and does not mean that all those removed were eligible voters wrongly excluded.
In a post on X, the Election Commission on Friday announced that the special drive would focus on left-out electors, as well as first-time and young voters.
Special drive in States/UTs after completion of Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) October 2, 2026
Commission has instructed to undertake a special drive for enrolment of left-out and first time/young electors.
Read in detail 👇 pic.twitter.com/s80LByssWx
What did the ECI say?
The ECI explained that during the enumeration phase of the SIR exercise, each Booth Level Officer (BLO) prepared a list of voters classified as Absent, Shifted, Dead, and Duplicate (ASDD), along with the probable reasons for their non-inclusion.
The Commission noted that the final electoral roll contains electors added or deleted after the publication of the draft roll. Therefore, compared to the pre-SIR electoral roll, the final roll reflects deletions made during the enumeration phase, as well as additions and deletions following the draft roll's publication.
The ECI stated that individuals who have not yet been enrolled, or whose names have been deleted, can apply for enrolment at any time.
BLOs have been directed to compare the current electoral roll with the pre-SIR roll and prepare a list of electors whose names appeared previously but are missing now.
The BLOs will then conduct house-to-house visits to ascertain the current status of the identified electors and facilitate their enrolment through Form 6 wherever they are eligible.
The Commission has asked BLOs to cover at least 20 to 25 electors every week so that the exercise can be completed in approximately one month. They will also record the present status of each identified elector and indicate those for whom Form 6 has been filled out.
During these visits, BLOs will also facilitate the registration of any left-out, first-time, or young eligible electors.
The lists prepared by BLOs will be shared with BLAs of recognised political parties. The BLOs will also submit these lists, filled-in Form 6 applications, and field verification reports to the concerned Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
The EROs will examine these cases and take appropriate action in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
After the conclusion of the SIR, booth-wise lists will be shared by the EROs with representatives of political parties, providing them with another opportunity to assist in identifying and facilitating the enrolment of eligible electors who may have been left out.
The Commission has also directed authorities to organise Booth Level Camps to facilitate the submission of enrolment applications. Special camps may be organised for people residing in night shelters and labour colonies, as well as homeless and marginalised persons.
Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), District Election Officers (DEOs), and EROs have been asked to undertake awareness and mobilisation activities through educational institutions, local outreach programmes, SVEEP activities, regular press briefings, and other suitable platforms.
Meanwhile, the EC-SIR row began following a report by The Indian Express alleging that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders allegedly taken without their knowledge.
The reported objections involved core areas of electoral-roll management, including the addition, removal, and restoration of voters; modifications to Form 6; and access to the Election Commission's electoral-roll database.
Following these developments, the Election Commission on September 29 announced a comprehensive set of decisions addressing both the SIR row and the Commission's internal functioning.