SIR: Tamil Nadu, Bengal lead in enumeration form distribution, Kerala lags behind

While Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, who had actively opposed SIR exercise in their states, are leading in distribution of enumeration forms, Kerala appears to be dragging its feet.

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu have opposed the SIR exercise, claiming it will disenfranchise eligible citizens for want of documents. Kerala had earlier asked for the postponement of the SIR exercise saying that it is clashing with the local body elections.

More than 37 crore or 72.66 per cent of enumeration forms have been distributed to electors in 12 states and Union territories so far as part of the Special Intensive Revision exercise being undertaken by the Election Commission. The ambitious voters list clean-up exercise in nine states and three UTs will cover nearly 51 crore electors.

In a bulletin issued on Wednesday, the poll authority said that for more than 7.66 crore electors in West Bengal, 6.80 crore or 88.8 per cent of enumeration forms have so far been distributed.

Kerala lags behind

Kerala, however, is lagging behind other states in distribution of pre-filled enumeration forms covering less than half of the voters. Its ED distribution is at 49.55 per cent, which is 1.38 crore of 2.78 crore voters. According to reports, the ongoing preparations for the local body elections were slowing down the pace of the exercise.

Also read: EC’s SIR drive ahead of 2026 TN polls triggers confusion, exclusion fears

Kerala, which is opposed to the exercise, had earlier asked for the postponement of the SIR exercise saying that it is clashing with local body elections. Several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were busy with the panchayat and municipal election leading to the delay in distributing enumeration forms.

Bengal, TN clock high figures

Notably, despite the vociferous protests against SIR, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have clocked impressive numbers.

Toppers in distribution

The distribution of printed enumeration forms of voters started on November 4, with Lakshadweep topping the list, covering all but one voter. It was 57,812 of 57,813 voters or nearly 100 per cent on November 12 at 3 pm, in this second phase.

Goa covered 99.99 per cent and just 119 voters out of 11.85 lakh voters were left to be given enumeration forms.

The BJP-ruled state Gujarat clocked 88.08 per cent distribution – 4.47 crore of 5.08 crore and Rajasthan covered 70.94 per cent – 3.89 crore of 5.48 crore. Puducherry covered 93.04 per cent or 9.5 lakh of 10.21 lakh voters while 89.22 per cent or 2.76 lakh of 3.10 lakh voters in Andaman and Nicobar have been covered.

SIR underway in 12 states

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the 12 states and UTs is being held between November and February next year.

The states and UTs are: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Also read: SC tells EC to respond within 2 weeks to petitions against SIR in TN, Bengal

Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal will go to polls in 2026.

In Assam, where elections are also due in 2026, the revision of electoral rolls will be announced separately.

Phase-II of the SIR exercise began on November 4 with the enumeration stage and will continue till December 4.

The EC will release the draft electoral rolls on December 9, and the final rolls will be published on February 7.

The EC has included the voters' list of Bihar published after the special intensive revision and Aadhaar card in the list of indicative documents people will have to submit in the 12 states and UTs.

In its instructions issued to the chief electoral officers of the states and UTs, the poll authority said electoral registration officers will issue notices to those electors whose previous SIR details provided in the enumeration forms are either not available or do not match the database.

The elector, it said, can provide the documents based on the different categories after the form distribution stage, when asked.