Full Breakdown
Delhi’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls: Notices, Process and Controversy
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Massive Notice Issuance in Delhi’s SIR
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has issued notices to more than 33 lakh electors after the draft roll of 9.75 million voters was published on August 31, 2026. Notices target voters whose entries could not be linked to the 2002 SIR or whose details show “logical discrepancies” such as name mismatches or implausible age gaps. The notice phase runs until October 29, 2026, with the final roll slated for November 4, 2026. Prominent names on the list include CM Rekha Gupta, former CM Arvind Kejriwal, L K Advani, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Election Commissioner S S Sandhu. The oldest voter flagged is Shyam Mukhija, 125 years old.
Background & Context
A door-to-door enumeration was conducted from June 30 to August 17, 2026. After digitising the forms, the draft roll was released on August 31. Voters whose entries could not be mapped to the 2002 SIR or who triggered one of eleven software-identified “logical discrepancy” categories received system-generated notices.
Data & Statistics
- Draft roll (Aug 31): 9,753,577 electors.
- Notices issued: 3,312,919 electors (? 33 lakh).
• Unmapped with last SIR: 1,379,785.
• Logical discrepancies: 1,933,134.
- Discrepancy sub-categories: self-name mismatch (17 %), parent-name mismatch (24 %), age-gap anomalies (? 16 %).
- 59,791 notices contain no stated reason.
- 4.75 million electors were placed in the Absentee, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate (ASDD) list.
Official Statements & Responses
The CEO outlined the timeline: voters must submit supporting documents by September 30, 2026; all notices will be disposed of by October 29, 2026; the final roll will be published on November 4, 2026. Section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, treats MPs, MLAs and certain office-holders as ordinarily resident in their constituency, explaining the presence of many high-profile names. The Election Commission of India released a list of required documents (12 categories, e.g., birth certificate, passport, Aadhaar plus another proof) and noted that the list is indicative, not exhaustive.
Criticism & Opposition
- The civil-society coalition Voter Adhikar Manch met the CEO on September 19, 2026, demanding a two-month extension, publication of the algorithmic criteria for “logical discrepancy,” and searchable online access to the notice list.
- Former Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat warned that the “logical discrepancy” category, originally intended to detect illegal immigrants, has become an opaque tool that may disadvantage ordinary citizens lacking resources.
On-the-Ground Reports
The CEO organised special enrolment camps on September 20 and 27, 2026, with additional sessions for homeless people, transgender persons and sex workers on September 23-24. Senior citizens, women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to approach their Booth Level Officer or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer for assistance.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Activists note that the ECI has not disclosed the precise parameters used to flag “logical discrepancy” cases. The Supreme Court scheduled a hearing on September 22, 2026, to examine petitions seeking release of the underlying algorithm and the rationale for each notice. The lack of publicly available criteria fuels allegations of arbitrariness, especially for high-profile voters.
What’s Next
- September 22, 2026 – Supreme Court hearing on transparency of the SIR notice criteria.
- September 30, 2026 – Deadline for voters to submit replies and supporting documents.
- October 29, 2026 – Completion of notice disposal.
- November 4, 2026 – Publication of the final Delhi electoral roll.