The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed authorities in 22 States and Union Territories that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is “expected” to begin in April.
SIR Preparations Underway
The 22 States and UTs preparing for the SIR are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Ladakh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana, and Uttarakhand.
The ECI has directed Chief Electoral Officers in these regions to finalize preparations, including mapping current voters to the 2002-2004 rolls and training Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the revision process.
SIR Status Across India
Bihar was the first state to complete the SIR process last year, ahead of its Assembly election. A second phase, encompassing 12 States and UTs – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan – began on October 27, 2025, and is currently in progress. Uttar Pradesh has received the most extensions to complete its SIR.
Assam underwent a special revision instead of a SIR due to legal challenges related to an incomplete National Register of Citizens process. The ECI initially announced the nationwide SIR last June and requested all states to begin pre-revision perform on July 5, 2025.
Coordination with Census
The ECI is likewise considering the upcoming Population Census 2027, with the house listing operation scheduled to begin April 1, 2026. This phase will involve deploying 30 lakh enumerators, largely comprised of government school teachers. As BLOs also consist primarily of teachers, the ECI has reportedly been in discussions with the Registrar General of India and the Census Commissioner to coordinate resource allocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The SIR is a process to revise voter lists in States and Union Territories.
Which states are currently undergoing the SIR process?
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan are currently undergoing the SIR process.
What role do school teachers play in the SIR and Census?
Most enumerators for the first phase of the Population Census 2027 are teachers from government schools, and BLOs who carry out the SIR are also largely government school teachers.
How might the coordination of the SIR and the Census impact the timeline for either process?
