The Election Commission of India has initiated a major verification drive in Gujarat, targeting approximately 44 lakh voters whose names appear in the draft electoral rolls but contain anomalies. Notices are being dispatched to these voters' doorsteps, requesting them to provide specific documents to retain their voting rights.
Massive Scale of the Verification Drive
According to top sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Gujarat, the nodal agency for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a staggering 44 lakh voters across the state are set to receive these formal notices. The exercise aims to clean up the electoral rolls by rectifying discrepancies found in the enumeration forms submitted earlier.
The urban centers are the primary focus of this drive. Ahmedabad district alone accounts for more than one-fifth of the total notices, with a massive 9,14,280 persons scheduled to receive communication from the election authorities. Other major cities in Gujarat are also seeing a significant number of notices being issued.
What the Notice Says and What Voters Must Do
The standardized notice informs recipients that they did not fill in details that could prove their or their relative's registration in the voter list prepared during the 2002 Special Intensive Revision. Due to this mismatch or the possibility of incorrect linkage, they are required to appear before a designated officer with original documents specified by the ECI.
The key documents voters need to provide are proof of date of birth and, in some cases, residential proof. The notice includes an attached information sheet listing the exact documents required and provides a designated place and time for the voter to appear before the enumeration officer.
A senior officer from the CEO's office clarified, "A total of about 44 lakh notices will be issued to voters whose names are in the draft electoral rolls, but anomalies were detected. In such cases, these voters will have to provide a document of their date of birth and, in some cases, also a document of residential proof."
Proactive Collection by Booth Level Officers
Even before the formal notices were sent, a verification phase began on December 20, 2025. During this phase, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) actively visited residential societies in Ahmedabad and other cities to collect the required documents directly from voters, without initially issuing notices.
A BLO assigned to a society in Maninagar explained her approach: "Notices will be issued subsequently, but we collected the required documents without issuing notices and got them mapped, as the names of these voters are already in the draft electoral roll." She had been visiting homes over a fortnight to obtain date of birth proofs.
In another Ahmedabad society, BLOs coordinated with the resident management committee. They provided a list of voters who needed to submit documentary proof of birth date and family member voter details. An office-bearer of the society stated, "The BLOs said that if these documents are provided, voters will not be required to visit designated government offices with documents, as they will not be served a notice." This proactive step aims to simplify the process for compliant voters.
The entire exercise underscores the Election Commission's commitment to maintaining accurate and fraud-free electoral rolls, a cornerstone of a robust democratic process. Voters who receive notices are urged to comply promptly to ensure their franchise is not affected in future elections.
