The Election Commission of India launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in five states on June 30, including Delhi and Karnataka, as part of the SIR 2026 update. This process aims to clean and update voter lists, but many voters face challenges due to outdated 2002 EPIC card details.
Challenges with Old EPIC Details
Voters over the age of 42 and their children often struggle to locate their names and serial numbers from the 2002 electoral rolls. Boundary changes, deaths, and relocated polling stations have made the original EPIC card details difficult to find. The digitised PDFs of the 2002 rolls are available, but searching manually can be time-consuming and error-prone.
AI-Assisted Name Tracking
Generative AI applications like Google Gemini or ChatGPT can help. These tools can translate names from regional languages and match them with serial numbers in the digitised PDFs. Users can simply input their name and other details, and the AI scans the PDF to find the corresponding entry. This significantly reduces the time and effort required.
Step-by-Step Process
First, voters must identify the correct part number of their constituency via the Chief Election Office website. They then download the relevant PDF of the 2002 electoral roll. Using an AI tool, they can upload or paste the PDF content and ask the AI to locate a specific name. The AI extracts the serial number and other details from the PDF.
Verification Caution
However, users must exercise caution. AI tools may misalign serial numbers by one digit or misinterpret handwritten entries. Therefore, manual cross-checking with the original PDF is essential before submitting any SIR forms. The Election Commission advises voters to verify all information thoroughly to avoid errors in the updated rolls.
The SIR 2026 update covers five states, with the rollout beginning on June 30. The use of AI tools is expected to streamline the process, but the commission emphasises the importance of accuracy. As one official noted, "AI is a helpful assistant, but the final verification must be done by the voter."
