In a major voter outreach initiative, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, November 6, 2026, issued directives granting a fresh opportunity to electors across seven states whose names were excluded from the draft rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The order applies to electors in Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Nagaland who were categorized under the Absent, Shifted, Dead, and Duplicate (ASDD) lists, or whose enumeration forms were not returned in time.
Multi-Channel Outreach and Verification Protocol
The poll panel has instructed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to ensure maximum inclusion before publishing final electoral rolls:
- Field & Digital Reach: Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct physical house-to-house visits and reach unlisted electors via WhatsApp, SMS, and email. Fresh enumeration forms will be issued directly to affected households.
- Public Display of Excluded Lists: Polling station boards, local municipal offices, and state CEO websites will publish booth-wise lists detailing the specific reasons for prior exclusion.
- EPIC Number Retention: Applications accepted following verification by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) under Rule 21(1) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, will be integrated into the final rolls while preserving the electors’ original voter ID (EPIC) numbers.
Submission Guidelines for Affected Electors
The ECI outlined specific rules based on voter status:
- Unchanged Residence: Voters who haven’t shifted can submit the enumeration form alongside a brief statement explaining the prior delay.
- Relocated Within State: Electors who changed addresses within the state do not need to file a separate Form 8; they can submit the enumeration form with address proof and updated constituency details.
- Homeless Citizens: For electors lacking formal residential documentation, field verification reports compiled by BLOs will serve as valid proof of residence.
- Form 6 Applicants: Those who have already submitted Form 6 for fresh enrolment during the SIR process are exempt from submitting additional forms.
Political Reaction
The Opposition Congress party labeled the EC directive a “U-turn” and a “belated admission of wrongful exclusion,” reiterating demands to scrap the SIR exercise. The ruling BJP and poll authorities maintained that the revision process adheres strictly to Supreme Court guidelines to clean electoral databases.
