The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed election authorities in states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been completed to launch a special drive to identify and enrol eligible voters who were left out of the electoral rolls.
The initiative will also focus on young and first-time voters who have become eligible to register. The move is aimed at ensuring that eligible citizens who could not find their names in the revised electoral rolls get an opportunity to seek inclusion.
According to the Election Commission, the special enrolment drive will be carried out through the continuous updation process. Eligible voters who were omitted during or after the SIR exercise can apply for inclusion through Form 6, the statutory application used for enrolment in the electoral roll.
Election officials, including Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, have been instructed to facilitate the process. In some areas, Booth Level Officers may also assist voters at the field level and identify eligible people whose names were left out.
The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of the SIR exercise and concerns surrounding deletions from electoral rolls. The Election Commission has clarified that the number of names removed from draft rolls does not by itself mean that all those individuals were eligible voters who were wrongly excluded.
The special drive is therefore expected to provide an additional opportunity for eligible citizens to check their electoral status and seek enrolment. The initiative also highlights the importance of keeping voter lists updated as new citizens reach voting age.
For first-time voters, particularly young people turning 18, the drive provides a route to enter the electoral rolls through the regular enrolment process.
Election authorities have been asked to ensure that eligible citizens are not left out because of gaps arising during the revision process.
The ECI’s latest direction is part of the continuing process of maintaining electoral rolls and facilitating voter enrolment after the completion of SIR in several states and Union Territories.
The Election Commission’s latest direction effectively provides an additional opportunity for eligible citizens to verify their electoral status and seek inclusion. For voters who discover that their names are missing, the authorities have reiterated that enrolment is not closed merely because the SIR exercise has been completed.
The special drive also places greater responsibility on local election officials to identify potential cases and assist eligible voters. With BLOs playing a key role at the ground level, the exercise is expected to connect the electoral administration with households where voter-registration issues may have emerged.
The ECI’s directive comes at a time when the SIR process has attracted significant public and political scrutiny. The special enrolment exercise is consequently being closely watched as election authorities work to update the rolls while allowing eligible citizens to seek inclusion.
For voters, the key message is straightforward: if an eligible person’s name is missing from the electoral roll after SIR, they can approach the concerned election authorities and apply for inclusion through Form 6.