SIR in remaining states, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, may start from April
The Election Commission of India has asked the remaining states to begin preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Commission has directed officials to prepare for the SIR, which will begin in April 2026.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the remaining 22 states and Union Territories, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, is expected to start from April 2026. In a letter issued on Thursday, EC Secretary Pawan Diwan informed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) that they should "complete preparatory work at the earliest" to ensure a smooth rollout of the Special Intensive Revision process.
The Commission has already completed SIR-related exercises in some states, and preparations are now being accelerated in the remaining regions to meet the proposed April start.
SIR to be done in the following states and UTs
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Chandigarh
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Ladakh
- Maharashtra
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- NCT of Delhi
- Odisha
- Punjab
- Sikkim
- Tripura
- Telangana
- Uttarakhand
Why is SIR important?
According to the Commission, the SIR exercise will involve a comprehensive revision of electoral rolls, including the registration of new voters, verification of existing entries, and the removal of ineligible names. The process is aimed at ensuring greater accuracy and transparency in voter lists ahead of future elections.
The primary aim of the SIR is to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth. The move assumes significance in the wake of a crackdown in various states on illegal migrants, including those from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
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