Sir Step 2: Here’s what people can do to keep their name on the electoral roll

The Election Commission has started the second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list from October 28. It is being conducted across a total of 12 states and union territories, covering 51 crore voters, almost half of the country’s nearly 1 billion registered voters.

The states and union territories covered include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Lakshadweep.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said during a press conference on October 27 that the printing of counting forms began on October 28, while the counting process would begin from November 4.

The door-to-door counting is scheduled for a month, between November 4 and December 4, followed by the publication of the draft rolls on December 9. The final voter list will be published on February 7 next year.

Sir: What does this mean?

Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls, or SIR, is conducted by the election panel from time to time across the country to ensure that all ineligible voters are removed from the list, while genuine people are not excluded from it.

Earlier this week, the Chief Election Commissioner shared that the last time this exercise was done was more than two decades ago in 2002-2004. The Election Commission has invoked SIR eight times from 1951 to 2004.

During the first phase, SIR of voter lists was conducted in the poll-bound state of Bihar, where more than 68 lakh names were removed.

Documents Required

As part of the SIR, the election body has published a list of ‘indicative (not detailed) documents’ that are acceptable for voter verification. These include:

1. Identity card, pension payment order issued to a regular employee/pensioner of any Central Government or State Government or PSU.
2. Any identity card, certificate, document issued by the Government of India, banks, local authorities and others.
3. Birth certificate issued by the competent authority.
4. Passport.
5. Matriculation or educational certificate issued by recognized boards or universities.
6. Permanent Residence Certificate from State Authority.
7. forest rights certificate
8. OBC/ST/SC or any other caste certificate from the competent authority.
9. National Register of Citizens (wherever it exists)
10. Family register which is prepared by state or local authorities.
11. Any land or house allotment certificate issued by the government.

For Aadhaar, the instructions of the Election Commission issued vide letter No. 23/2025-ERS/Vol.II dated 9.09.2025 will continue to be applicable.

What should people do for SIR?

As part of the exercise starting from November 4, all eligible voters in these 12 states and union territories will have to fill their enumeration forms.

From November 4 to December 4, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will go door-to-door and hand over counting forms to voters. After filling this form, voters will have to submit it to get their name registered in the draft voter list. The form will have certain information printed on it including name, EPIC number and address. Voters should check these details carefully and then proceed to fill the missing fields.

Voters can hand over or submit the enumeration forms to the BLO voters.eci.gov.inIn return, they will receive a copy of the form as an acknowledgement.

When the draft voter list is published on December 9, people will have to check their names in it. After that, those who are unable to trace their names will receive a notice from the electoral registration officer and will have to prove their eligibility before the final voter list is published on February 7, 2026.