EC likely to announce next phase of SIR for remaining states, UTs soon, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to announce the next phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) for remaining states and Union Territories.
• This follows the completion of the exercise in 10 states and 3 UTs over the past year.
• The enumeration form for the next phase is expected to be similar to the one used from November 2025 to April.
• The EC had asked 22 states/UTs in February to prepare for the SIR, anticipating a start from April 2026.

Detailed Insights:

• The EC ordered the SIR of electoral rolls on June 24 last year, deviating from the annual Special Summary Revisions (SSRs) practiced for the past two decades.
• According to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the EC can revise electoral rolls intensively, summarily, or a combination of both.
• Intensive revision involves preparing fresh rolls, while summary revision updates rolls by removing deceased or shifted electors and adding newly eligible voters.
• The last intensive revision occurred in the early 2000s, after which electoral rolls were revised summarily due to digitisation.
• The EC cited rapid urbanisation and migration as reasons for conducting the intensive revision.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Special Intensive Revision (SIR): An intensive review and update of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission.
• Special Summary Revisions (SSRs): Annual updates to the electoral rolls, typically done before elections.
• Electoral Roll: Official list of persons eligible to vote in a particular constituency.