Sunny Khurma
Cheif Editor
New Delhi, October 2, 2026: The Election Commission has directed states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been completed to launch a focused campaign to ensure that eligible citizens who were left out of the updated voter lists get another opportunity to enrol.
The special drive will also focus on young and first-time voters who have become eligible but have not yet registered themselves on the electoral rolls.
The instructions apply to 20 states and Union Territories where the SIR exercise has already concluded.
Election officials have been asked to compare voter lists prepared before the SIR with the latest rolls and identify people whose names no longer appear.
The objective is to determine whether any eligible voter may have been unintentionally left out and, where appropriate, help that person apply again through the normal voter-registration process.
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will play a central role in the campaign.
They will prepare booth-wise information on voters missing from the latest electoral rolls and carry out field verification, including visits to homes where necessary.
If a person is found to be eligible and is not registered at another location, officials can assist the voter in submitting Form 6, which is the prescribed application for inclusion in an electoral roll.
The Commission has asked each BLO to cover around 20 to 25 such electors every week, with the verification exercise expected to be completed within roughly a month.
During these visits, officials have also been instructed to identify citizens who have recently turned 18, first-time electors and other eligible people who have yet to register.
The campaign will not be limited to door-to-door verification.
Election authorities have also been directed to organise Booth Level Camps where citizens can receive assistance with enrolment applications.
Special outreach is planned for people living in labour colonies and night shelters, as well as homeless citizens and other groups who may find it more difficult to complete the registration process through conventional channels.
District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and Chief Electoral Officers have been asked to closely monitor the progress of the drive.
Booth-wise information will also be shared with representatives of recognised political parties so they can help bring eligible but unregistered voters to the attention of election officials.
The Election Commission has consistently stated that the objective of the Special Intensive Revision is to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out while no ineligible person remains included in the electoral roll. Official SIR guidelines also provide that eligible citizens who miss an enumeration stage can seek inclusion through the prescribed registration process.
The latest campaign is part of the system of continuous updation of electoral rolls, meaning voter registration does not permanently close once an SIR exercise is completed.
Eligible citizens whose names are missing can therefore still seek inclusion after publication of the revised list, subject to verification under election law.
Officials have also been asked to conduct voter-awareness programmes through educational institutions, local outreach activities and the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation programme, commonly known as SVEEP.
The emphasis will be particularly strong on encouraging first-time voters to check their registration status and complete the enrolment process.
For voters, the practical message is straightforward: anyone who was registered earlier but cannot find their name on the latest electoral roll should check their status and contact the local BLO or electoral registration authorities.
Citizens who have recently become eligible to vote can also apply for inclusion through Form 6.
The special drive is expected to provide another opportunity to correct omissions while election officials continue updating voter lists ahead of future elections.
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