After Bihar, poll panel's SIR drive sparks political fire across 12 states

Opposition MPs at a protest against Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar outside Parliament earlier this year. (File photo: PTI)

The second phase of the Special Intensive Revision kicked off on Tuesday a day after the announcement by the Election Commission of India. After completing the SIR process in Bihar during Phase-1, the ECI has rolled out the exercise in 12 more states and Union Territories with the stated aim to delete duplicate entries, remove names of deceased voters, and correct voter data ahead of upcoming elections.

The states where the exercise kicked off Tuesday include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Goa, and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. The revision that began this week will conclude by February 7, 2026.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar clarified that Assam has been kept out of this phase due to the ongoing citizenship verification process under Supreme Court supervision, with a separate voter revision exercise to be conducted there later.

Linked to upcoming polls across 10 states

The ECI's timing has raised eyebrows as most of these states where the SIR has been announced are heading into Assembly elections within the next three years.

2026: West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry
2027: Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Goa2028: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh

Together, these states account for over 50 crore voters — with Uttar Pradesh alone hosting 15.4 crore, followed by West Bengal (7.6 crore), Tamil Nadu (6.4 crore), and Madhya Pradesh (5.7 crore).

Why SIR matters and why it's contested

The Election Commission says the revision is essential due to rapid urban migration, leading to voters being registered in multiple locations, and the failure to delete names of deceased voters. It also cites illegal voter registrations in certain border regions and urban centers.

To address these, every voter will receive a unique verification form carrying their existing details and photograph. They can correct outdated addresses or submit updated information. The ECI has urged voters to attach color photos for clearer identification on electoral rolls.

Officials maintain that the SIR is part of the Commission's effort to make voter lists "clean, transparent, and inclusive."

Political Flashpoint

What was meant to be a technical process has become a political flashpoint. Opposition parties in several non-BJP-ruled states — especially West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — have accused the ECI of acting under political pressure and targeting specific voter groups.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK has accused the Commission of trying to "replicate Bihar's chaos" and called for an all-party meeting on November 2 to discuss alleged irregularities. A DMK spokesperson said the party "will not allow the BJP to misuse the process to influence future elections."

In West Bengal, both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Left parties have echoed similar allegations, claiming that the exercise could lead to the deletion of minority, Dalit, and women voters in select areas.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera went further, saying, "Bihar showed us what the BJP and the Election Commission are trying to do. This is nothing but a new way of stealing votes. Even the Supreme Court had to intervene there."

BJP defends 'democracy clean-up'

The BJP, which governs a majority of the states under SIR, has welcomed the exercise. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya described it as a "sacred democratic reform."

"Those who won elections through booth capturing and fake votes will feel the pain. If infiltrators have entered our voter lists, they must be removed," Maurya said.

The BJP argues that the exercise will strengthen voter integrity and reduce instances of fraudulent or duplicate voting — long-standing issues in several states.

Who gains, who loses

The political stakes are unmistakable. For the BJP, the SIR could help consolidate the voter rolls ahead of critical contests in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, where it seeks to expand its footprint.

For the opposition, however, the SIR has become a symbol of institutional mistrust — an alleged attempt to tilt the ground before the 2026 and 2027 elections. With the Congress, DMK, and TMC coordinating their response, the issue could build into a national front on electoral transparency.

The ECI insists the SIR is a constitutional and routine exercise, but the political narrative tells another story. As one observer noted, the battle over voter rolls may well shape the narrative of electoral fairness in the run-up to the next wave of Assembly elections.

With over half a billion voters involved, the outcome of this revision will not just affect who appears on India’s electoral rolls — but also how much trust citizens continue to place in the system that maintains them.