The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday announced the commencement of Phase-3 of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a comprehensive exercise to be conducted across 16 states and three Union territories (UTs), including the National Capital Territory of Delhi. This phase, scheduled between May and December 2025, aims to verify the eligibility of approximately 36.7 crore electors.
Scope of SIR Phase-3
The revision will be carried out in a phased manner across Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, and Tripura. Additionally, the UTs of Delhi, Chandigarh, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNH & DD) will be included. The EC has carefully scheduled SIR Phase-3 in alignment with the Census 2027 timeline and the shared field machinery required for both the SIR and the ongoing houselisting phase of the Census.
Methodology and Previous Outcomes
According to EC sources, there will be no change in the methodology for SIR Phase-3. The rules and instructions remain identical to those followed in SIR Phase-2, which covered 12 states and UTs. In Phase-2, net deletions of 10.2% of electors were recorded across those regions, reducing the combined electorate from nearly 51 crore to 45.8 crore. Among the areas covered in Phase-2, Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw the highest net purification rate at 16.6%, followed by Uttar Pradesh (13.2%), Gujarat (13.1%), Chhattisgarh (11.3%), West Bengal (10.9%), and Tamil Nadu (10.6%).
Ground-Level Operations
During SIR Phase-3, over 3.9 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house visits to reach out to all 36.7 crore electors. These BLOs will be supported by 3.4 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties during the enumeration phase. The qualifying date for the SIR varies by region: for Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, DNH & DD, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh, it is July 1. For Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Delhi, Nagaland, and Tripura, the qualifying date is October 1.
Enumeration and Publication Schedule
The enumeration period will differ across states and UTs, extending from May 30 to October 14. The final electoral rolls are due to be published on various dates: September 6 for Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Manipur; September 11 for DNH & DD; September 15 for Uttarakhand; September 22 for Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh; October 1 for Telangana and Punjab; October 7 for Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi; November 22 for Nagaland; and December 23 for Tripura.
The EC emphasized that this exercise is crucial for maintaining accurate and updated electoral rolls, ensuring that only eligible voters are included. The commission has urged all stakeholders, including political parties and citizens, to cooperate with the BLOs and BLAs during the verification process.
