ECI directs states, UTs to expedite preparations for Special Intensive Revision

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to complete preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at the earliest and submit their progress reports. The directive was issued during a two-day conference of CEOs in New Delhi, which concluded on Thursday. Officials said detailed presentations were made by senior ECI officers on the SIR process, while CEOs raised several queries that were subsequently clarified. The Commission also reviewed the progress of earlier directions to map the current electorate with figures from the previous SIR in each state and UT. Special one-on-one interactions were held with CEOs of poll-bound states and UTs, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal. The conference, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and attended by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, was a follow-up to a preparatory meeting held on September 10. During that session, states and UTs had presented data on the number of electors, the qualifying date of the last SIR, and the current electoral rolls. The meeting comes after CEC Gyanesh Kumars announcement of a nationwide SIR, following the completion of a similar exercise in Bihar. In Bihar, the final electoral list recorded 7.42 crore voters, compared to 7.89 crore as of June 24 this year. Around 65 lakh names were deleted during the revision, including 3.66 lakh ineligible voters, while 21.53 lakh new eligible electors were added through Form 6 applications.