Uttar Pradesh's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for voter lists has been extended by one month, allowing citizens to add or remove names until March 6, 2026. Originally set to end today, February 6, the Election Commission responded to demands from political parties by pushing the final voter list release to April 10. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa announced the change, noting the process began on October 27, with the initial claim period from January 6 to February 6 using Form 6 for additions and Form 7 for deletions.
Surge in form submissions
Over the past month, Uttar Pradesh saw a massive influx of applications: 37.80 lakh Form 6 submissions for new voters and 82,684 Form 7 filings for deletions. Comprehensive SIR statistics reveal a draft voter list of 12,55,56,025 electors. Total Form 6 reached 54,37,850, including 37,81,487 from general citizens and 37,789 from Booth Level Agents (BLAs). Form 7 totals stand at 1,33,650, with breakdowns showing 82,684 post-draft citizen submissions, 49,399 pre-draft, and 1,567 from BLAs.
| Category | Form 6 Total | Form 7 Total |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 54,37,850 | 1,33,650 |
| By Citizens (post-draft) | 37,81,487 (Form 6/6A) | 82,684 |
| By BLAs | 37,789 | 1,567 |
| Pre-draft Form 6 | 16,18,574 | 49,399 |
| Post-draft Form 6 | 38,19,276 | NIL |
Opposition alleges voter manipulation
Opposition parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party (SP), have raised alarms over alleged large-scale tampering. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused authorities of using Form 7 to systematically remove votes from PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) communities. Despite SP's denial by the Election Commission, Rinwa clarified strict rules govern Form 7, preventing arbitrary deletions.
In response, SP has set up camps across the state, including in Lucknow's Cantt area, to assist with Forms 6 and 7. Party leaders like Pradeep Adharm, Abdullah, Pooja Shukla Bhasin, and Alok Pratap Yadav urged vigilance against what they called a conspiracy to cut SP votes. The extension aims to boost participation and ensure accuracy ahead of potential elections, but it underscores deepening political divides in the state.
