Full Breakdown
Election Commission Extends Special Intensive Revision Timelines in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 30, 2026, the full bench of the Election Commission of India—Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi—met in New Delhi and approved new deadlines for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya. Final voter lists will be published on October 16, 2026 for Andhra Pradesh and October 26, 2026 for Meghalaya. The notice-phase and disposal of claims in Andhra Pradesh have been extended to October 10, 2026.
Background & Context
The SIR exercise, aimed at removing dead, duplicate, fake and shifted entries, began in Andhra Pradesh on July 31, 2026 and is being carried out in 16 states and three Union territories, covering roughly 36.73 crore voters. Earlier phases shifted Andhra Pradesh’s final-publication date from September 22 to October 3, then to October 9. In Meghalaya, the claims-objections period ended on September 18, with most hearings completed.
The September 30 meeting followed a September 26 full-commission session that addressed reports of dissent notes by Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi. The ECI announced measures such as halting physical hearings for voters flagged under “unmapped” or “logical discrepancy” categories and restricting an additional declaration on Form 6 to states currently undergoing SIR.
Data & Statistics
- Andhra Pradesh draft roll: 3.7 crore electors after deleting 10.8 % of the electorate.
- Meghalaya draft roll (published August 5): 21.7 lakh electors, with 7.7 % of entries removed.
- SIR coverage: 36.73 crore voters across 16 states and three Union territories.
- Claims-objections period in Andhra Pradesh: July 31 – October 10, 2026 (extended from the earlier September 10 deadline).
Official Statements & Responses
The ECI’s press release said the extensions were decided unanimously and that the additional declaration on Form 6 will apply only during the SIR exercise. The commission also formed a review committee, headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from IIT/IIIT, to examine the ECINet portal that manages voter-roll data.
Criticism & Opposition
Opposition leaders under the INDIA bloc condemned the extensions, demanding full public disclosure of roll-change data, a right of appeal for deleted voters, and an independent probe of anomalies. Government and poll-panel sources described the criticism as “targeted and unwarranted” and affirmed that SIR is a lawful exercise that has withstood judicial scrutiny.
Timeline
- July 31, 2026 – SIR process begins in Andhra Pradesh.
- September 26, 2026 – Full-commission meeting; measures announced.
- September 29, 2026 – Additional declaration on Form 6 de-linked from non-SIR states.
- September 30, 2026 – Extensions to final-roll publication dates approved.
- October 10, 2026 – Deadline for notice phase and disposal of claims in Andhra Pradesh.
- October 16, 2026 – Publication of final electoral roll for Andhra Pradesh.
- October 26, 2026 – Publication of final electoral roll for Meghalaya.
What’s Next
The review committee will assess the ECINet portal’s centralisation concerns, though no timeline for its report has been disclosed. Opposition parties have signalled plans for rallies and an impeachment motion, while the commission maintains that the SIR schedule will proceed as revised.
