Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision Sparks Voter-Roll Controversy and a Nationwide Re-enrolment Drive

The Election Commission of India (ECI) completed its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 20 states and Union Territories, removing roughly 13 crore names from draft rolls. In response to allegations of disenfranchisement, the Commission issued a letter on September 29 directing Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers to launch a special drive to enrol “left-out, first-time and young” voters. The drive will use Form 6, without the additional declaration introduced in July 2026, and requires each Booth Level Officer to verify 20–25 voters per week and finish the exercise in about a month.

The Indian Express

India’s Election Commission operated with a single Chief Election Commissioner until October 16 1986. A 1991 Supreme Court ruling (*S.S. Dhanoa v. Union of India*) affirmed the President’s discretion to appoint multiple Election Commissioners, leading to the three-member structure established by the 1993 amendment. The SIR, authorised under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1950, was intended to purge duplicate, deceased or ineligible entries after the voting age was lowered to 18.

The HinduAfter SIR row, EC orders drive to find 'left-out' electors, re-enrol them Telegraph IndiaElection Commission Meets Again, Extends SIR Deadlines In Andhra, Meghalaya The Indian ExpressNot damage control but damage enhancing: Congress attacks EC over SIR row Telegraph India

• The ECI’s September 26 press note announced a committee to certify that the ECINet platform complies with the Representation of the People Acts 1950-51 and the Registration of Electors Rules 1960.

Telegraph India

• “Special drives shall be undertaken by the District Election Officers (DEOs) & Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) for the enrolment of left-out and young/first-time eligible electors under the process of continuous updation,” – CEO West Bengal.

Election Commission's Special Drive To Enrol Left-Out Voters Where SIR Is Over New Indian ExpressCNBC TV18The Wire - IndiaThe Indian ExpressElection Commission orders special drive in 20 states where SIR is done, plain statutory Form 6 to be used: Report

• The Supreme Court held on April 13 2026 that mere pendency of an appeal does not entitle an excluded person to vote.

The Wire - India

• Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, accused the Commission of “lying” about ECINet’s legality.

Telegraph India

• Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary, said the SIR deletions constitute “a mockery of the Constitution” and highlighted a 17 % error rate uncovered in Bihar.

The Hindu

• Youth-led Cockroach Janta Party warned that stripping voting rights undermines democracy. “We have been asking and demanding for a change, but nothing of that is going to happen if our only tool … the right to vote, is taken away from us,” – Saurav Das.

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• Pawan Khera (Telegraph) claimed the BJP-EC alliance “robbed the people’s mandate.”

Telegraph India

• The ECI asserts that all SIR decisions were unanimous, yet Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded 14 objections over ten months, citing unauthorized changes to Form 6 and centralised control of ECINet.

Election Commission orders special drive in 20 states where SIR is done, plain statutory Form 6 to be used: Report

• While the Commission cites 13 crore deletions, opposition-led surveys suggest higher error percentages and possible communal bias.

Congress undermining Election Commission after poll defeats: Shivraj

• Internal minutes, dissent letters and the basis for the software-driven deletions remain undisclosed, fueling demands for transparency.

Election Commission orders special drive in 20 states where SIR is done, plain statutory Form 6 to be used: Report

• October 6 2026: Opposition MPs plan a march to the ECI headquarters as part of the “Save Democracy” campaign.

CNBC TV18

• October 16 2026 and October 26 2026: The SIR schedule is extended in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya.

Election Commission Meets Again, Extends SIR Deadlines In Andhra, Meghalaya

• Justice Indrajit Chatterjee announced his resignation effective November 2, leaving a backlog of over 6 lakh pending appeals.

The Wire - India

• Ongoing legal challenges to ECINet’s compliance and to the 2023 CEC appointment act are expected to reach the Supreme Court soon.

‘Portal not in accordance with law’: Congress accuses Election Commission of ‘lying’ over ECINet