The Election Commission of India (ECI) has published a significantly revised draft electoral roll for Uttar Pradesh, revealing a massive deletion of over 2.89 crore voter names. This action follows a comprehensive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise aimed at cleaning the voter list. However, officials have assured that those removed still have a clear pathway to get back on the final list.
Understanding the Massive Deletion
A staggering 2,88,74,067 voters have been struck off from the state's draft electoral roll. Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa provided a breakdown of the reasons behind this large-scale removal. A significant portion, approximately 7.73 lakh voters, were deleted because they failed to submit their enumeration forms to the Booth Level Officer (BLO) by the December 26 deadline. An even larger group, about 79.52 lakh voters, were found to be absent from their registered addresses during the verification drive.
Rinwa made a crucial clarification for affected individuals. He stated that their existing Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) has now been rendered invalid. To regain their voting rights, they must apply afresh by filling out Form 6 as a new voter. This form can be submitted both online through the ECI portal and via offline channels.
Critical Window for Claims and Objections Now Open
The ECI has announced a vital one-month period for citizens to make corrections to the draft list. The window for filing claims and objections is open from January 6 to February 6, 2026. During this time, voters can apply for inclusion of names, request corrections to existing entries, or raise objections against any listing in the draft roll.
A special category of about 1.04 crore 'unmapped' voters has been identified. These are individuals who were on the electoral list as of October 27 but could not be physically verified during the SIR exercise. The commission will send special notices to them. To re-establish their identity and retain their voting status, these individuals must submit any one of 12 specific documents prescribed by the ECI.
Roadmap to the Final Electoral Roll
The process for finalizing the list has a well-defined timeline. Authorities will process all received forms and address claims and objections until February 27, 2026. It is important to note for late applicants that those who submitted Form 6 after October 27, 2025, will not find their names in the current draft. However, if their application is verified correctly, their names will be included in the final publication.
The final electoral roll for Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to be published on March 5, 2026. This gives all eligible citizens ample time to ensure their franchise is secured for future elections. The ECI's exercise underscores its ongoing effort to maintain an accurate and fraud-free voter database in India's most populous state.
