In a major electoral roll clean-up exercise, the state of Uttar Pradesh has seen a staggering 2.89 crore names deleted from its voter list. This massive revision was conducted under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive aimed at purging outdated and duplicate entries.
District-Wise Breakdown of Deletions
The data, released by officials, reveals a district-wise pattern of deletions. The state capital, Lucknow, led with the removal of 12 lakh (1.2 million) names. It was closely followed by Prayagraj, where 11 lakh (1.1 million) voters were deleted. The industrial city of Kanpur secured the third spot with nine lakh (900,000) names struck off the electoral rolls.
The Purpose of the Special Intensive Revision
The SIR exercise is a focused effort by the Election Commission to ensure the accuracy and health of the electoral database. It primarily targets names of deceased individuals, voters who have permanently shifted residence, and any duplicate entries. Such periodic revisions are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the democratic process and preventing electoral malpractices.
Implications and Next Steps
The removal of nearly 2.89 crore names signifies one of the largest voter list sanitization efforts in the state's recent history. While this cleans up the list, the process also involves the continuous enrollment of new, eligible voters. Authorities have emphasized that the drive is a routine administrative process to refine the voter database, ensuring that it reflects the current, eligible electorate accurately for future polls.
The information regarding this extensive revision was confirmed and reported on 28 December 2025. The scale of the operation underscores the ongoing efforts to streamline electoral governance in India's most populous state.
