Election Commission Announces Second Phase of Voter Roll Revision Across 12 States, Excluding Assam

The Election Commission of India (ECI) revealed that the second phase of voter roll revisions will commence in 12 states and union territories following the conclusion of the Bihar Assembly elections next month.

This follows the successful completion of the first phase of the nationwide 'special intensive revision' of electoral rolls in Bihar, conducted between June and July, with the final voter list published on September 30.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a press conference, clarified that the Bihar revision saw no appeals against erroneous deletions, underscoring the process's accuracy.

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He emphasised the legal mandate to update voter lists before elections or as needed, responding to opposition concerns about the timing of the Bihar revision, which occurred less than six months before the state’s polls. Kumar noted that critics had also raised issues regarding the quality of voter rolls, necessitating such updates.

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"The special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been conducted eight times between 1951 and 2004, with the last one over two decades ago, from 2002 to 2004," Kumar stated. He highlighted that frequent migration has led to discrepancies, such as voters being registered in multiple locations, necessitating periodic revisions. Other reasons for the update include removing names of deceased individuals or those erroneously listed, such as non-citizens.

Notably, Assam is not included in the 12 states and union territories, as reported earlier, slated for the second phase of this voter roll revision. The ECI urged citizens to verify their voter registration details to ensure an accurate and updated electoral list ahead of future elections.