ECI Delays Draft Roll, Orders Home Verification After Massive Deletions
Updated (2 articles)
Special Intensive Revision Spreads Across Twelve Regions The Election Commission of India launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) covering 12 states and union territories, aiming to clean electoral rolls before upcoming elections. The rollout began in late 2025, with provisional draft rolls slated for release on January 6, 2026. The process intended to remove duplicate, deceased, and ineligible voters while adding eligible citizens [1].
Massive Deletions Trigger Backlash and Home Verification Order Draft rolls showed deletions exceeding 6.5 crore names nationwide, including 2.89 crore in Uttar Pradesh, 97 lakh in Tamil Nadu, and 73.7 lakh in Gujarat, prompting protests from affected voters. Elderly residents in remote areas faced mandatory eligibility hearings, leading the ECI to issue an order for home verification of those unable to attend. The verification directive aims to prevent disenfranchisement of senior citizens ahead of the February 2026 polls [1].
Software Substitutions and Procedural Gaps Undermine Credibility The commission abandoned its de‑duplication software in Bihar, replacing it with a tool that merely flags unmapped voters without formal protocol. Critics note that reliance on ad hoc software notices bypasses the statutory role of Electoral Registration Officers. Legal experts have urged the Supreme Court to intervene beyond interim fixes to safeguard universal adult franchise [1].
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Timeline
Early Dec 2025 – The Supreme Court directs the Election Commission of India (ECI) to extend the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), urging a “sympathetic view” to avoid disenfranchising voters and to allow more time for representations [2].
Early Dec 2025 – The Court’s directive to treat Aadhaar as the 12th document in Bihar helps curb deletions, yet 68 lakh names are still removed and 24 lakh added as fresh voters or through change‑correction requests [2].
Mid‑Dec 2025 – The ECI deletes over 97 lakh names in Tamil Nadu (≈15 % of the pre‑SIR roll) and about 58 lakh names in West Bengal (≈7.5 %); deletions concentrate in urban areas such as Kolkata, raising fears of mass exclusions within a compressed 53‑day hearing window [2].
Mid‑Dec 2025 – Kerala faces logistical strain as the SIR coincides with local body elections, pressuring booth‑level officers to meet tight deadlines for voter verification [2].
Late Dec 2025 – West Bengal hearings trigger an ECI order for home verification of elderly voters in remote locations after backlash over mandatory eligibility hearings [1].
Dec 31 2025 – An editorial in The Hindu labels the SIR a “farce,” citing ad‑hoc changes, rushed hearings ahead of elections, and a patchwork of software that bypasses due process and the statutory role of Electoral Registration Officers [1].
Dec 31 2025 – The ECI abandons its de‑duplication software in Bihar, deploying a new tool to flag unmapped voters without proper protocol, contributing to voter confusion and distress [1].
Dec 31 2025 – Draft‑roll deletions total over 6.5 crore nationwide, with Uttar Pradesh alone showing 2.89 crore names removed; the publication of the draft roll is postponed to Jan 6, 2026 [1].
Dec 31 2025 – Tamil Nadu and Gujarat experience a haphazard sequence of deletions (97 lakh and 73.7 lakh respectively) followed by the addition of lakhs of new names, underscoring inconsistent rollout practices [1].
Dec 31 2025 – The editorial urges the judiciary to go beyond limited interim fixes and take firm action to preserve universal adult franchise, calling for “court intervention” to defend the right to vote [1].
Jan 6 2026 (planned) – The ECI is scheduled to publish the draft electoral roll after the postponed deadline, providing the first public view of the massive deletions and additions resulting from the SIR [1].