Gujarat's Voter Strength Drops 13.4% After Intensive Electoral Revision
In a significant development, Gujarat's electoral strength has contracted by 13.4%, bringing the total number of voters down to 4.4 crore. This reduction follows the completion of a special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter rolls, which culminated in the publication of the final list on Tuesday. The revision process resulted in the deletion of approximately 77 lakh names from the 2025 electoral rolls, while simultaneously adding 9.5 lakh new electors to the updated list.
Scrutiny Rounds Lead to Massive Deletions
The double-digit percentage decline in voter numbers caps two rigorous rounds of scrutiny. The process began with the publication of draft rolls last December, which saw 73.7 lakh names removed after updating records on mortality, migration, and incorrect registrations. Subsequently, an additional 3.9 lakh names were deleted before the final rolls were released. Between the draft and final publications, the electorate expanded by 1.3%, with a large portion of this growth attributed to first-time voters enrolling for the first time.
An analysis of the unrevised 2025 rolls revealed several key factors behind the deletions. Around 40 lakh voters were found to have permanently shifted from their registered addresses, 18 lakh were deceased, 9.8 lakh could not be traced to their listed locations, and 3.8 lakh had duplicate voter cards. Furthermore, another 1.9 lakh voters' names in Gujarat were omitted for various other reasons. Based on objections and further verification after the draft rolls were published, an additional 3.9 lakh names were ultimately removed from the final list.
Ahmedabad District Tops with 49.1 Lakh Voters
Ahmedabad district has emerged as the leader in Gujarat, boasting 49.1 lakh voters in the final rolls, up from 48 lakh in the draft list. This district also recorded the highest number of additions, with 1.5 lakh new electors enrolled. In percentage terms, Dang registered the highest proportional increase at 2.15%, although its total voter base remains relatively small at 1.9 lakh. Other districts with notable percentage growth include Porbandar at 2.1%, Jamnagar at 2%, Botad at 1.9%, Chhota Udepur at 1.9%, and Gandhinagar at 1.8%.
Major urban centers such as Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot reported substantial additions, reflecting ongoing migration patterns and increased youth enrolment. Surat, in particular, added approximately 1 lakh new voters while removing 85,734 names, the highest deletion figure among cities in the state. This dynamic highlights the fluid nature of electoral demographics in Gujarat's rapidly evolving urban landscapes.
