Election Commission announces voter list revision in 17 states, SIR schedule to follow

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union Territories, even as the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise faces opposition from several political parties.

In a notice issued on Thursday, the Commission directed the states and Union Territories to conduct the revision under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, with January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date.

The revision will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

The Commission said the schedule for SSR in states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise is ongoing or has recently been completed would be announced separately.

Supreme Court notice on SIR petition

The announcement comes amid a legal challenge to the SIR process. The Supreme Court recently issued notices to the ECI, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders.

The petition challenges the legality of the SIR exercise and seeks disclosure of the Election Commission’s records, publication of details of deleted voters and safeguards against arbitrary deletions. The petitioners have also sought a mechanism to restore names removed from electoral rolls, a judicial audit of the revision process and suspension of the exercise across states until the case is decided.

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The petition was filed by Gandhi along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and other opposition leaders representing parties across the INDIA bloc.

The group also includes Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, CPI(M) leader MA Baby, CPI leader D Raja, JMM leader Mahua Majhi, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule, IUML leader Mohammed Basheer, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan and former Jammu and Kashmir minister Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo.

Opposition protests over voter revision

The legal challenge followed an Opposition march towards the Supreme Court on October 12, led by Gandhi, to protest against the SIR exercise.

Opposition leaders had earlier sought an appointment with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to raise concerns about the process and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CJI declined the request, noting that the issues were already pending before the court and that the leaders could seek relief through judicial proceedings.

The latest SSR announcement marks a separate electoral roll revision exercise, while the schedule for states undergoing or recently completing SIR remains pending. The Supreme Court proceedings will determine how the legal challenges to the intensive revision are addressed.

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