India’s electoral rolls are being rewritten at a scale the country has not seen in two decades. The exercise is called the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, and it has already changed the voter lists used in several states. Supporters say it is the clean-up Indian democracy needed. Critics say it has removed millions of eligible voters. This explainer sets out what SIR actually is, how it works, what the Supreme Court has said, and what the numbers do and do not show.
What is SIR?
The Special Intensive Revision is a time-bound, door-to-door revision of India’s electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI). It is different from the routine Summary Revision that happens before most elections. In a summary revision, officials update the existing roll using forms, local enquiries and claims. In an SIR, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visit households, verify existing electors and collect fresh information, with the aim of rebuilding the roll constituency by constituency.
The legal basis is Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which allows the ECI to conduct a special revision “at any time” and “in such manner as it may think fit” when it records reasons. The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 set out the forms and the claims and objections process.
The last full intensive revision was in 2003. The ECI says a fresh one was needed because the rolls had accumulated errors over two decades: dead electors, duplicate entries, people who had shifted, and in some cases entries that did not belong to eligible residents.
How the process works
- Enumeration: BLOs visit homes and distribute or collect enumeration forms. Existing electors are asked to confirm their details.
- Verification: Officials match the information against existing records and documents. Cases that cannot be matched are flagged.
- Draft roll: A draft electoral roll is published for each constituency.
- Claims and objections: Electors can file Form 6 to be included, Form 7 to object to an entry, and Form 8 for corrections or shifting. Political party booth-level agents can also file claims and objections.
- Hearings and appeals: Electoral Registration Officers decide claims and objections. Appeals go first to the District Magistrate and then to the Chief Electoral Officer.
- Final roll: The final electoral roll is published after the disposal of claims and objections.
Where SIR stands in 2026
The first phase began in Bihar in June 2025, ahead of the November 2025 Assembly election. The ECI later extended the exercise to other states. On 14 May 2026, it announced Phase III covering 16 states and three Union Territories and more than 36 crore electors. The schedule has varied by state, with final rolls due between September and December 2026 in different regions.
By October 2026, the exercise had become the centre of national politics. Protests were held in several cities. Opposition parties and civil-society groups demanded that SIR be scrapped and that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign. The ECI maintained that the process was lawful and necessary.
What the Supreme Court said
On 27 May 2026, a Supreme Court bench decided Association for Democratic Reforms & Others v. Election Commission of India. The Court upheld the Bihar SIR and held that the exercise fell within the ECI’s statutory and constitutional role in ensuring free and fair elections. It rejected the argument that using a different procedure from a routine revision made the exercise unconstitutional, and found that the measures adopted were not manifestly excessive or disproportionate.
The judgment also drew limits. The Court noted that SIR is not a citizenship determination. Where the ECI is not satisfied that a person meets the conditions for inclusion on citizenship grounds, the case must be referred to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act. The Court also emphasised that the presumption of validity attached to an entry on the roll can be rebutted, and that electors must have a fair chance to respond.
The numbers, and why they are disputed
Reporting in September and October 2026 put the number of names removed from draft rolls at more than 13 crore (130 million). The ECI says the deletions fall into categories such as dead, duplicate, permanently shifted, and ineligible entries. Analysis cited in the press suggested that more than a quarter of the deletions up to that point were classified as dead or duplicated, while most were marked “absent, shifted or others”.
That last category is the heart of the dispute. The ECI treats “absent or shifted” as a legitimate reason to remove an entry from a constituency where the person no longer lives. Critics argue that the category is too broad and that many people who are still eligible, but temporarily away or unable to produce the requested documents, have been removed. Human Rights Watch, in an October 2026 report, described the process as arbitrary and opaque and said it had disproportionately affected women, poor households and religious minorities.
Both claims can be partly true at once. A roll can contain genuine dead and duplicate entries and still remove eligible people through error. The question is the error rate, and that is what the independent commission of former judges, due to report by December 2026, is expected to examine.
Read next: the case for SIR’s benefits.
What SIR is not
- It is not a citizenship register. The Supreme Court was explicit that SIR is an electoral roll exercise, not a citizenship determination.
- It is not a one-time election-day check. It is a revision of the roll itself, which then governs future elections.
- It is not automatic deletion without remedy. The law provides for claims, objections and two levels of appeal. The practical question is whether those remedies are accessible and fast enough.
- It is not the same as the NPR or NRC. Those are separate processes with different legal bases.
What voters should do
- Check your name on the ECI electoral search portal or your state CEO website.
- If your name is missing or your details are wrong, file Form 6 or Form 8 with the required documents.
- If you receive a notice, respond within the deadline and keep a copy of everything you submit.
- If an objection is upheld, use the appeal route to the District Magistrate and then the Chief Electoral Officer.
- Keep proof of address, identity and date of birth ready in one folder.
Frequently asked questions
What does SIR stand for?
Special Intensive Revision. It is a door-to-door revision of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Is SIR legal?
Yes. The Supreme Court upheld the Bihar SIR on 27 May 2026 and held that the exercise is within the ECI’s statutory mandate. The Court also set limits, including referral of citizenship doubts to the competent authority.
How many voters were removed?
Reporting in late 2026 put the figure at more than 13 crore names removed from draft rolls. The ECI says these are dead, duplicate, shifted or ineligible entries. Critics dispute how many were eligible voters.
Can I get back on the roll if my name was deleted?
Yes. File Form 6 for inclusion or use the claims and objections process, then appeal to the District Magistrate and the Chief Electoral Officer if needed. Do not wait for the final roll if you have already received a notice.
Does SIR decide citizenship?
No. The Supreme Court said SIR is not a citizenship determination. If the ECI doubts citizenship, the case must go to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act.
