Election Commission Asks Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and 19 Others to Gear Up for Electoral Roll Revision

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 22 states and Union Territories to begin preparations “at the earliest” for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

States and UTs asked to gear up include Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, among others.

SIR Progress So Far

While the SIR exercise has already been completed in Bihar, it is nearing completion in nine states and three UTs. The revision process is now set to begin in the remaining 17 states and five UTs.

The Commission has asked CEOs to complete all preparatory work related to the SIR without delay.

Linked with Census 2027

The SIR exercise will coincide with the first phase of Census of India 2027, during which house-listing operations are scheduled to take place between April and September.

In a letter addressed to CEOs of states including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttarakhand and others — along with UTs such as Delhi, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir — the poll body reiterated that the nationwide SIR was ordered in June last year.

Background of the Decision

The Commission recalled that on June 24 last year, it had directed all CEOs — except those in Bihar, where the exercise began in June 2025 — to initiate pre-revision activities for the countrywide SIR.

Following the completion of the Bihar exercise, the ECI announced SIR in 12 additional states and UTs, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, among others.

The Special Intensive Revision aims to ensure updated and accurate electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections, strengthening the integrity and inclusiveness of the democratic process across the country.

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