EC to roll out SIR in TN, Kerala, Bengal, 9 other states; poll-bound Assam left out
Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep to see SIR in this phase
The Election Commission will conduct phase two of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced on Monday (October 27).
These are: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajashtan, Chhattisgarh, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Strangely, Assam, which is going to polls next year along with TN, Kerala, Bengal and Puducherry, is left out of SIR 2.0.
Kumar said the ongoing SIR is the ninth such exercise since Independence, with the last one happening in 2002-04. The First phase of the SIR was completed in Bihar with zero appeals, he added.
"The second phase will be conducted in 12 states and Union Territories. SIR will ensure no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in poll rolls," Kumar said at a press conference.
Kumar said the SIR in Bihar has been a grand success, as evident from the fact that there have been zero appeals.
The voters' list cleanup exercise has been concluded in Bihar with the final list with nearly 7.42 crore electors published on September 30. Polling in the state will be held in two phases — on November 6 and November 11 — and the counting will take place on November 14.
The Election Commission has already held two conferences with state chief electoral officers (CEOs) to firm up the SIR rollout roadmap. Several CEOs have already put the voter lists after their last SIR on their websites.
Read the live updates here.
Live Updates
- 27 Oct 2025 5:05 PM IST
MK Stalin to chair DMK alliance meeting on SIR in TN
In the wake of the announcement of SIR in Tamil Nadu, a meeting of DMK alliance parties, chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, will discuss the next steps at 6 PM today at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK headquarters, in Chennai.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:59 PM IST
Assam SIR deferred; fresh order to be issued
CEC Gyanesh Kumar said that SIR will not be held in Assam ahead of the Assembly elections in 2026 adding that a fresh SIR order will be issued for the state.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:54 PM IST
SIR begins tomorrow in 12 states and UTs
Starting tomorrow, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will commence in 12 states and Union Territories, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Puducherry, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Lakshadweep.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:50 PM IST
Aadhaar to be accepted in SIR phase two, says CEC
CEC Gyanesh Kumar stated during the press conference that, similar to Bihar, Aadhaar numbers will be accepted in the second phase of the SIR exercise,
- 27 Oct 2025 4:41 PM IST
Voter lists frozen tonight for SIR in 12 states, UTs
CEC Gyanesh Kumar announces that the voter lists of 12 states and Union Territories set for the SIR exercise will be frozen tonight.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:39 PM IST
Electoral roll revision needed before every election: CEC
“A lot of discussions have taken place on the necessity of SIR. ECI will like to tell you that as per electoral laws revision of electoral rolls is required before every election. In the last few decades several political parties have complained to the ECI regarding errors in the voters’ list. SIR has been performed in the country eighty times from 1951 to 2004. Last SIR was done more than 21 years back in 2002-2024,” says CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:32 PM IST
SIR phase two to begin in 12 states and UTs
“The SIR phase one has concluded. The 7.5 crore electors took part in it in Bihar. The result is in front of you. The result is in front of you: zero appeal, which means Bihar’s electoral role is cleaner. The SIR phase II will start in 12 states and Union Territories,” says CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:28 PM IST
CEC Gyanesh Kumar announces second phase of SIR
“We have gathered here in relation to the second phase of Special Intensive Revision. After successful implementation of SIR in Bihar. ECI held meetings with all 36 Chief Electoral Officers. Now the second phase of SIR will be started in selected states. The main aim of SIR is to include all eligible voters in the electoral rolls and remove the ineligible ones,” says CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:26 PM IST
EC trying to disenfranchise those unlikely to vote for BJP in Bihar: Parakala Prabhakar
Economist Parakala Prabhakar spoke to The Federal on the integrity of India’s electoral process. With nearly 65 lakh names struck off Bihar’s draft rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and amid allegations that the 2024 Lok Sabha results were manipulated, he shares his thoughts on why these developments raise fundamental questions about democracy in India.
- 27 Oct 2025 4:25 PM IST
Is EC lying on SIR? | Activist Anjali Bhardwaj interview
As the debate over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls intensifies, questions are being raised about the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) refusal to disclose key documents related to the exercise.
In this episode of Capital Beat, transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj speaks to Neelu Vyas about her Right to Information (RTI) applications, the Commission’s responses, and the implications for democracy.
