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1 September 2026

Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is a core administrative function of the Election Commission of India, directly relating to the constitutional mandate of conducting free and fair elections and the procedural requirements under the Representation of the People Act.

2 min read 2 questions 2 prelims

Notes

  • Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is an ongoing exercise conducted by the Election Commission (EC) to update voter registries.
  • Phase 3 of SIR covered 16 States and 3 Union Territories, resulting in the deletion of 6.15 crore names out of 36.08 crore total entries (17.04% deletion rate).
  • Maharashtra recorded the highest absolute number of deletions (2.06 crore), while Delhi recorded the highest percentage of deletions (32.78%).
  • The EC provides a formal window for claims and objections, allowing citizens to register for additions or contest deletions from draft rolls.
  • The process involves Booth Level Officers (BLOs) serving notices for anomalies such as unmapped forms, duplicate entries, or age-gap discrepancies between parents and children.
  • The appeal hierarchy for removed names consists of the District Election Officer (first appellate authority) followed by the Chief Electoral Officer (second and final appellate authority).
  • The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of the EC's authority to conduct the SIR process.
  • International bodies, including the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), have raised concerns regarding the transparency and inclusivity of voter roll revisions.
  • Global democracy indices have noted a decline in the perceived autonomy of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and administrative impartiality in India.

Questions

  1. Discuss the significance of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in maintaining the integrity of the democratic process. How does the Election Commission balance administrative efficiency with the inclusion of eligible voters? 150 words
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  2. The autonomy and impartiality of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) are foundational to the health of an electoral democracy. In light of recent concerns regarding voter roll revisions, analyze the legal and institutional safeguards available to citizens to ensure their right to vote is protected against administrative errors. 250 words
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    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. Which of the following is the final appellate authority for a citizen whose name has been removed from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision process?

  2. What is the primary objective of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted by the Election Commission?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-09-01/special-intensive-revision-sir-of-electoral-rolls