Full Breakdown
Election Commission launches special drive to enrol voters left out after SIR
By Drooid · · How we work
Special enrolment drive launched after SIR deletions
On September 29 2026 the Election Commission of India (ECI) sent a letter to chief electoral officers (CEOs) in 20 states and Union territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been completed. CEOs, district election officers (DEOs) and electoral registration officers (EROs) must now run a “special drive” to enrol *left-out*, first-time and young electors under the continuous-updation process. Booth-level officers (BLOs) will compare the current roll with the pre-SIR roll, compile lists of missing names and conduct house-to-house verification, covering 20–25 voters per week and aiming to finish in about one month. The drive will use the plain statutory Form 6; the SIR-related declaration added in July 2026 is removed for the states concerned.
Background & context
The SIR removed roughly 13 crore names from draft rolls in 30 states and Union territories, prompting protests and rallies on October 2 2026. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi lodged 14 objections over ten months, challenging the SIR declaration on Form 6 and the centralised control of ECINet software. Their dissent was highlighted in an Indian Express investigation on September 23 2026. The Supreme Court ruled on April 13 2026 that a pending appeal does not confer voting rights.
Data & statistics
- 13 crore names struck off draft rolls nationwide.
- Combined rolls of nine states and three Union territories were pruned by 10.2 %, including over 60 lakh deceased voters.
- Maharashtra’s draft roll flagged 1.22 crore records for verification.
- West Bengal’s appellate tribunal recorded 635,983 appeals, of which 2.54 lakh (? 40 %) challenged inclusion of electors.
Official statements & responses
CEOs were instructed to launch awareness activities through schools, local outreach, SVEEP programmes and press briefings. The commission announced special enrolment camps on October 3, 4, 10 and 11 2026, and pledged monthly monitoring by CEOs, DEOs and EROs.
Criticism & opposition
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the commission of “lying” about ECINet compliance and of violating the Representation of the People Act 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 by restricting Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) access to the voter-roll system. Opposition leaders also cited the Goa episode as evidence of systemic failure.
On-the-ground report: Goa case
In Goa, 97 voters flagged as eligible were omitted from the final roll published on February 21 2026 despite clearance by Electoral Registration Officers. The Goa CEO sent eight communications between February 11-17 2026 seeking a reversal, but the ECI did not act, leaving the voters disenfranchised. The incident shows the challenges BLOs face when ECINet lacks a mechanism to reinstate deleted entries.
Conflicting reports & gaps
Sources differ on the interpretation of the 13 crore deletions, and the impact on specific communities (e.g., Muslim-majority constituencies in West Bengal) remains unquantified in the commission’s briefings.
What’s next
The ECI will monitor progress through weekly reports from CEOs, DEOs and EROs. Special camps slated for early October will target homeless and marginalised groups. The commission is reviewing ECINet’s access controls and has extended the SIR timeline in Andhra Pradesh (final roll now due October 16 2026) and Meghalaya (October 26 2026). Legal challenges, including the Bombay High Court’s order that Form 8 must not be rejected for address changes, are expected to shape subsequent procedural adjustments.