In a major cleanup of the electoral database, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in Prayagraj has led to the removal of more than 11.5 lakh voter names from the district's draft roll. The extensive verification exercise, which concluded its current phase, targeted inaccuracies like deceased individuals, duplicates, and those who have relocated.
Massive Cleanup: The Scale of Deletions
The house-to-house verification campaign, covering all 12 assembly constituencies of the Sangam City, has yielded significant results. As of Tuesday, January 6, a total of 11,56,305 names have been struck off the draft list. This figure represents a substantial 24.64% of the voters under scrutiny. The breakdown of these deletions reveals the primary reasons for removal.
The largest category was voters who have shifted from their registered address, accounting for 4,88,950 names. This was followed by 3,67,120 absent voters and 1,73,810 deceased individuals. Furthermore, the drive identified 1,07,084 duplicate entries and 19,341 names in other discrepancy categories.
Current Voter Statistics and Mapping Progress
Following this rigorous revision, the Prayagraj district now boasts a refined and more accurate electoral roll. The total number of registered voters stands at 35,36,555. This includes 19,60,593 male voters, 15,75,635 female voters, and 327 transgender voters.
Officials have also made considerable progress in the geographic mapping of voters. As of now, mapping has been completed for 32,47,898 voters, which is 91.84% of the total electorate. Notices are currently being served to the remaining 2,87,612 voters, constituting 8.13% of the list, to resolve any pending issues.
Timeline for Final Publication
The election authorities have laid out a clear schedule for finalizing the roll. The draft electoral roll was officially published on Tuesday, January 6. The window for filing claims and objections is now open and will remain effective until February 6.
A crucial concurrent process will run from January 6 to February 27. During this period, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will handle the notice phase—which includes issuance, hearing, and verification—alongside making decisions on enumeration forms and disposing of all claims and objections. The entire exercise will culminate with the final publication of the electoral roll on March 6.
Objective and Background of the SIR Campaign
The SIR campaign was initiated on November 4 following strict directives from the Election Commission of India. Its core mission was to prepare an accurate and error-free voters' list for Prayagraj. The primary objective was to meticulously collect and verify the records of voters who were originally enrolled in the 2003 electoral rolls, as well as all those added in the subsequent 22 years.
This intensive drive underscores the Election Commission's commitment to ensuring the integrity of the democratic process by eliminating ghost voters, duplicates, and other inconsistencies that can undermine the fairness of elections.
