Electoral Rolls Contract by 7.9% in Phase 2 of Special Intensive Revision
The Election Commission's Phase 2 of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has concluded with significant changes to voter lists across multiple states and union territories. Nine out of the twelve states covered in this phase have now published their final electoral rolls, revealing a substantial reduction in the overall electorate.
Substantial Decline in Combined Electorate
The combined electorate across these nine states and union territories has decreased by 7.9%, dropping from 21.4 crore to 19.7 crore. This reduction occurred since the announcement of the SIR exercise on October 27, 2025. More than 1.7 crore electors have been officially struck off the electoral rolls as a result of this intensive revision process.
States Completing the Revision Process
The nine states and union territories that have published their final electoral rolls include Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Goa, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. While Gujarat, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep completed their revisions earlier, the remaining six regions—Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Goa, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands—published their final rolls on Saturday.
Varied Impact Across Different Regions
The net decline in electors shows remarkable variation across different states and union territories. Andaman & Nicobar Islands experienced the steepest decline at 16.9%, followed by Gujarat with a 13.4% reduction. In contrast, Lakshadweep saw only a minimal 0.3% decrease, while Kerala recorded a modest 3.2% decline.
Four of the nine states and union territories recorded net deletions above the overall average of 7.9%, while five fell below this benchmark. This indicates that the impact of the Special Intensive Revision has been unevenly distributed across different regions.
State-Specific Reductions in Electorate
Among the six states where the SIR process has concluded, Gujarat witnessed the highest net decline with approximately 68 lakh electors removed, representing a 13.4% reduction. Chhattisgarh's electorate shrunk by 11.8%, while Goa experienced a 10.7% decrease.
The remaining three states showed more moderate declines:
- Kerala: 3.2% reduction
- Madhya Pradesh: 5.9% reduction
- Rajasthan: 5.7% reduction
Union Territories Show Mixed Results
Among the union territories, Andaman and Nicobar Islands stood out with a sharp 16.9% net decline in electors. Puducherry's electorate decreased by 7.6%, while Lakshadweep experienced only a marginal 0.3% reduction compared to the October 27, 2025 baseline.
Pending States and Future Timeline
Three states—West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu—have yet to publish their final electoral rolls as part of Phase 2 of the Special Intensive Revision. Tamil Nadu is scheduled to release its roll on February 23, followed by West Bengal on February 28, and Uttar Pradesh on April 10.
Historical Context and Future Plans
Phase 1 of the Special Intensive Revision was completed last year and was exclusive to Bihar, while Assam underwent only a special summary revision. An additional 22 states and union territories remain to conduct their SIR processes. The Election Commission has recently indicated that it may initiate the next phase of the Special Intensive Revision in April, continuing its efforts to maintain accurate and updated voter lists across the country.
