Why in News?
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the Second Phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR 2.0) of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, covering 51 crore voters.
- The revision includes poll-bound States such as Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, and Puducherry, ahead of their 2026 Assembly elections.
- Assam is excluded for now, given its citizenship verification process under Supreme Court supervision.
Relevance:
- GS-2 (Polity & Governance): Electoral reforms, voter list integrity, transparency in elections, ECI’s constitutional mandate under Article 324.
- GS-2 (Government Schemes): Electoral Roll Management (ERONet, NVSP), Aadhaar–voter linkage (Section 23A, RPA 1950).
- GS-3 (Technology in Governance): Use of digital systems for voter verification and inclusion.
Basic Context
- Election Commission of India (ECI):
- Constitutional body under Article 324 of the Constitution.
- Responsible for superintendence, direction, and control of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and offices of President & Vice-President.
- Electoral Roll:
- The official list of all eligible voters in a constituency.
- Maintained under the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950.
- Continuous updating is essential to remove duplicates, include new voters, and ensure error-free elections.
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR):
- Periodic mass verification and updating of voter rolls to maintain accuracy.
- Conducted before major elections or to implement voter-linked reforms (like EPIC–Aadhaar linkage, gender ratio correction, etc.).
Key Features of SIR 2.0 (2025)
- Coverage: 12 States/UTs including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.
- Scale: Covers ~51 crore voters, one of the largest voter verification exercises globally.
- Timeline: Rolls to be frozen after the revision begins, typically from midnight of announcement day, as per EC norms.
- Assam Exception:
- Separate notification to be issued later.
- Citizenship verification under Supreme Court-monitored NRC process ongoing.
Administrative & Political Context
- ECI Objective:
- Clean, inclusive, and updated electoral rolls.
- Removal of deceased/duplicate voters.
- Enrollment of first-time voters (18+ as of Jan 1, 2026).
- Address gender and urban-rural voter disparities.
- Political Concerns:
- Trinamool Congress (West Bengal) and DMK (Tamil Nadu) expressed concerns about potential misuse or selective targeting during revision.
- EC reiterated transparency and adherence to RPA norms.
Legal & Constitutional Basis
| Provision | Relevance |
| Article 324 | Empowers ECI for conduct and supervision of elections. |
| RPA, 1950 (Sections 14–23) | Deals with preparation and revision of electoral rolls. |
| RPA, 1951 | Governs conduct of elections, corrupt practices, and disqualification. |
| Article 326 | Guarantees adult suffrage (18 years and above). |
| Delimitation Act, 2002 | Ensures constituency boundaries are based on latest census data (though frozen till 2026). |
Data Significance
- India’s total electorate (2024): ~97 crore voters.
- SIR 2.0 coverage: 51 crore → covers over 50% of total voters.
- First-time voters: Estimated 1.5–2 crore additions expected.
- Gender ratio correction: Female-to-male voter ratio in some States below 940:1000, ECI aims for parity.
Institutional Mechanisms
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs): Local officials verifying voter details door-to-door.
- ERONet (Electoral Roll Management System): Digital platform ensuring uniformity and real-time updates.
- Voter Helpline App / NVSP Portal: Allow citizens to check and update details online.
- Aadhaar-linkage (under Section 23A, RPA 1950): Voluntary linkage to prevent duplication.
Reform and Integrity Focus
- De-duplication drive: Using Aadhaar and demographic data to eliminate multiple entries.
- Gender and youth inclusion: Focus on urban youth (lowest registration rates).
- Voter migration tracking: Pilot project to track internal migration using digital voter IDs.
- Transparency Mechanisms: Political parties given access to draft rolls for verification.
Challenges
- Data Privacy Concerns: Linking Aadhaar with voter rolls raises surveillance fears.
- Urban Apathetic Voters: High non-registration rates in metros.
- Political Allegations: Accusations of bias or selective deletions during revision.
- Administrative Coordination: Synchronizing across 12 State Election Departments and multiple BLOs.
Keywords Explained
| Term | Explanation |
| Electoral Roll Freezing | Period during which no addition/deletion is allowed; usually before elections. |
| Booth Level Officer (BLO) | Field-level official verifying voter data at the polling station level. |
| ERONet | Centralized software system integrating all State election databases. |
| EPIC | Electors Photo Identity Card – official voter ID issued by ECI. |
| Adult Suffrage | Right of all citizens aged 18 and above to vote, regardless of gender, caste, or wealth. |
Comparative Perspective
| Country | Practice | Key Feature |
| India | Continuous roll revision (annual + SIR) | Door-to-door verification + online update |
| USA | State-level roll maintenance | Decentralized; prone to purges |
| UK | Annual canvass | Central voter registration office |
| Australia | Compulsory registration | Automatic enrollment via tax records |
Way Forward
- Digital Integration: AI-based tools to detect duplicates and deceased voters.
- Awareness Campaigns: “My Vote, My Identity” drives in schools/colleges.
- Voter Inclusion Index: To measure gender, age, and region-based inclusion rates.
- Transparency Measures: Publish anonymized deletion and addition data publicly.
- Data Protection: Strict adherence to DPDP Act, 2023 for Aadhaar-linked voter data.
