India deletes nearly 6 crore voter names in year of SIR

A nationwide electoral roll cleanup has completed its first year, resulting in the removal of nearly six crore voter names across India. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which began as a pilot in Bihar on June 24, 2025, is currently in its third phase across 19 states and Union Territories.

The Election Commission describes the SIR as a mechanism to ensure accurate and updated electoral rolls, aiming to include all eligible citizens while removing ineligible entries. The process has been upheld by the Supreme Court, which unanimously affirmed its constitutional validity in March of this year.

The second phase of the revision, announced last October 27, covered twelve states and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa, along with Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. In these regions, the combined voter base was reduced by 10.2 percent, from over 50.99 crore to 45.81 crore, a decline of over 5.18 crore names. Officials reported that 66.88 lakh of these deletions were deceased voters, with the highest numbers removed from Uttar Pradesh (25.47 lakh)...