ECI Sets Sep 30 for Special Intensive Revision, Color EVMs in Bihar

The Election Commission of India has told state electoral officers to be ready to roll out a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls by September 30, signalling that a nationwide voter-list cleanup could begin as early as October or November, and said upgraded electronic voting machine ballot papers with colour photographs will be used starting with the Bihar assembly elections. Officials said the twin moves are intended to improve voter identification and the accuracy of rolls as India heads into a busy cycle of state elections.

At a recent conference of state chief electoral officers, the Commission asked officials to have on hand the voter lists published after their last intensive revision, which will serve as cutoffs for the current exercise, officials said. Several states have already posted these legacy rolls online. The Commission set the September 30 deadline to provide clarity, but said it will decide soon on the date for a pan India rollout. Some reports indicate the cleanup could be completed before the end of the year.

The intensive revision is aimed primarily at identifying and removing ineligible entries, including alleged foreign illegal migrants, by...