Election Commission to Announce Major Nationwide Voter Roll Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

The Election Commission of India stated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will launch in two phases. Phase one starts on Monday, covering 10 to 15 states initially.

ECI Set for Pan-India SIR Rollout

The All-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign will be announced soon. This is for voter lists in many states across the nation. An Election Commission official confirmed the press conference. The poll body will brief media on Monday evening (October 27, 2025).

This press conference focuses on the special intensive revision of the electoral roll. The Election Commission of India (ECI) will begin SIR Phase 1 on Monday. The drive will launch in 10 to 15 states first. This group includes states due for elections next year.

First Phase Covers 10 to 15 States

Elections are due in 2026 for Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal. These states will be on the initial list. Electoral roll purification work will start there first. Officials stated the Commission announces SIR Phase 1 on Monday. This phase will involve 10 to 15 states. The ECI will not purify voter lists in certain states now. These are states holding local body polls soon. The local electoral staff is already busy. They might not be able to focus on the SIR work.

SIR Implementation in Two Stages

The SIR process will be conducted in these states later. Bihar has already finished its voter list purification work. Bihar’s final list had about 7.42 crore names. This final list was officially published on September 30. Bihar will see voting on November 6 and November 11. The counting of votes will take place on November 14.

The Commission has already met with state CEOs twice. These meetings set the framework for implementing the SIR campaign. Many Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) have uploaded voter lists. These are the lists published after their previous SIR drive.

Why the States Need SIR Now

Most states last completed a final SIR between 2002 and 2004. The main purpose of the SIR is to screen out illegal foreign migrants. This is done by verifying the individual’s place of birth. This step is critical in the context of recent crackdowns. These crackdowns target undocumented migrants. This includes people from countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar.