Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls

Why is this in News?

• Draft electoral rolls published after SIR in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Goa, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
  • 1.02 crore names removed, causing the total electorate to shrink by 7.6%.
• Trigger:
  • Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted Special Intensive Revision ahead of upcoming elections.
• Public debate:
  • Concerns over large-scale deletions, transparency, and voter disenfranchisement.

What is an Electoral Roll?

• Electoral Roll:
  • Official list of eligible voters in a constituency.
• Constitutional basis:
  • Article 324 – Superintendence of elections vested in ECI.
• Statutory framework:
  • Representation of the People Act, 1950.
• Purpose:
  • Ensure free, fair, and inclusive elections.

What is Special Intensive Revision ?

• SIR:
  • A comprehensive, door-to-door verification of electoral rolls.
• Conducted:
  • Periodically or before major elections.
• Objective:
  • Remove:
    • Duplicate voters.
    • Deceased voters.
    • Shifted or non-resident voters.
  • Add:
    • Eligible but left-out citizens.
• Differs from:
  • Routine annual revision (more limited, application-based).

Key Findings from the 2025 SIR

• Total electors:
  • Reduced from 13.35 crore → 12.33 crore.
• Net deletion:
  • 1.02 crore voters.
• States/UTs affected:
  • West Bengal.
  • Rajasthan.
  • Goa.
  • Lakshadweep.
  • Puducherry.
• Official reasons for deletion:
  • “Shifted”.
  • “Deceased”.
  • “Untraceable”.
  • Duplicate entries.

State-wise Snapshot (Indicative)

• West Bengal:
  • Largest absolute deletions.
• Rajasthan:
  • Significant rural and urban deletions.
• Goa:
  • Notable drop despite smaller electorate.
• Lakshadweep & Puducherry:
  • Smaller numbers, but high proportional impact.

Reasons Behind High Deletions

• Migration:
  • Seasonal and inter-state mobility.
• Urbanisation:
  • Address mismatches.
• Documentation gaps:
  • Failure to submit required forms.
• Administrative factors:
  • Booth Level Officer (BLO) discretion.
  • Short verification windows.
• Digital divide:
  • Limited awareness of verification procedures.

Democratic Concerns Raised

• Voter disenfranchisement risk:
  • Eligible voters may be wrongly deleted.
• Due process issues:
  • Inadequate notice.
  • Limited opportunity for appeal.
• Impact on vulnerable groups:
  • Migrant workers.
  • Urban poor.
  • Elderly.
  • Women.
• Political neutrality:
  • Allegations of selective or uneven deletions.

Election Commission’s Position

• Deletions are:
  • Based on field verification.
  • Subject to claims and objections process.
• Draft rolls:
  • Not final; corrections allowed.
• Legal safeguards:
  • Re-inclusion possible before final publication.

Constitutional & Legal Dimensions

• Right to vote:
  • Statutory right (not fundamental).
  • Still central to democratic participation.
• Supreme Court view:
  • ECI must ensure procedural fairness and transparency.
• Balance required:
  • Roll purity vs inclusiveness.

Governance and Federal Issues

• Centre–State coordination:
  • SIR executed by state machinery under ECI.
• Trust deficit:
  • Between voters, political parties, and election authorities.
• Institutional credibility:
  • Directly affects legitimacy of electoral outcomes.

Way Forward

• Improve transparency:
  • Public disclosure of deletion reasons.
• Strengthen due process:
  • Mandatory notice before deletion.
• Technology use:
  • Aadhaar-linked but consent-based verification.
• Awareness drives:
  • Especially for migrants and urban poor.
• Independent audit:
  • Post-SIR review of deletions and additions.

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