Delhi is gearing up for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of its electoral rolls, a comprehensive exercise by the Election Commission of India (ECI) aimed at ensuring accuracy and completeness in voter lists. While the official schedule for the SIR in the capital is yet to be announced, preparatory work, including the mapping of electors, has been underway for the past two to three months.
As part of the preliminary preparations, the Delhi government has issued a notice directing its employees and staff of autonomous bodies to verify their names and details against the voter list from 2002. This directive, issued to Heads of Departments, emphasizes that the SIR is a nationwide initiative to update electoral rolls.
The Special Intensive Revision, commonly referred to as SIR, is a large-scale verification process undertaken by the ECI when routine annual ‘Summary Revisions’ are deemed insufficient to cleanse the electoral rolls. This exercise involves house-to-house enumeration, the use of pre-filled forms, online submissions, and a fresh verification of older voter data. The ECI derives its authority to conduct such revisions from Article 324 of the Indian Constitution and Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The primary objective of the SIR is to ensure that electoral rolls are accurate, by identifying and removing deceased, permanently shifted, or duplicate voters, while simultaneously ensuring that all eligible citizens are included.
In Delhi, the preparatory phase has included mapping electoral rolls from 2025 against those from the last SIR conducted in 2002. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are visiting homes to collect electors’ details pertaining to the year 2002. To facilitate this, the 2002 voter list has been uploaded on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Delhi, allowing individuals to search for their details using their Voter ID or Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number. For those who moved to Delhi after 2002, details can be obtained from the ECI website as they appeared in the voter list of their previous state during the last SIR, which typically occurred in 2002, 2003, or 2005.
The SIR process has been rolled out in phases across the country. Phase III of the SIR, which includes Delhi, is expected to commence soon. This phase involves a significant deployment of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties to conduct house-to-house visits for enumerating electors. Previous phases of the SIR have involved millions of BLOs and BLAs across numerous states and Union Territories.
The SIR exercise has not been without its controversies. Opposition parties have previously accused the ECI of partisan conduct and have challenged the process in the Supreme Court. However, the ECI has consistently denied allegations of bias and partisanship, emphasizing the importance of maintaining accurate electoral rolls.
The Special Intensive Revision is a crucial step towards ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. By involving BLOs in house-to-house verification, utilizing pre-filled forms, and enabling online submissions, the ECI aims to create a robust and error-free voter database. Eligible voters are encouraged to actively participate in the SIR process once the schedule is announced to ensure their names remain on the electoral roll and that the rolls accurately reflect the electorate.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
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