ECI extends special voter list revision by a week across 12 states and UTs; final rolls now on February 14

Election Commission

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday extended all key deadlines for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 States and Union Territories by one week, with January 1, 2026 set as the qualifying date.

In its statement, the Commission said it had issued “a revised Schedule by extending the relevant dates by one week for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls in 12 States/UTs with reference to 01.01.2026 as the qualifying date.”

Under the revised timeline, the enumeration period and rationalisation of polling stations will now be completed by December 11, 2025. The updation of the control table and preparation of the draft roll is scheduled for December 12–15. The draft electoral roll will be published on December 16, following which claims and objections can be filed from December 16, 2025 to January 15, 2026.

Hearings, verification and disposal of claims by Electoral Registration Officers will run concurrently until February 7, 2026. The Commission has set February 10 as the deadline for final checks, with the final electoral roll slated for publication on February 14. The press note was issued by Apurva Kumar Singh, AD, ECI.

Political reactions sharpen across states

The SIR exercise, launched on November 6 across nine states and three UTs, has triggered sharp political exchanges. The Trinamool Congress has termed it a “con job organised by the Extremely Compromised body,” while DMK and allies in Tamil Nadu have opposed what they call an arbitrary “electoral roll cleanup.”

The 12 regions covered include Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal head to elections in 2026.

In West Bengal, the rollout has become a flashpoint between the BJP and TMC. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK has moved the Supreme Court, calling the SIR a “de facto NRC,” while the AIADMK has backed the revision.

In Uttar Pradesh, the SIR is being carried out under the theme “Shuddh Nirvachak Namavali – Majboot Loktantra.”

This is the second round of SIR after Bihar, where the final voter list with 7.42 crore names was published on September 30.