India's Election Commission has added ten days to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) timeline for Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. Voter form submission now ends on July 24, with the draft roll slated for July 31, pushing the final roll to October 3.
Key Takeaways
- SIR timeline in Andhra Pradesh and Haryana extended by 10 days
- Last date for voter form submission moved to July 24; draft roll on July 31
- Final electoral roll to be published on October 3
The Election Commission of India on Tuesday officially extended the schedule of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Andhra Pradesh and Haryana by ten days. The decision follows the third‑phase rollout announced on May 14, which covers 16 states and three Union Territories.
Background
SIR is a massive clean‑up exercise aimed at removing duplicate, deceased, absent, or shifted entries from the electoral rolls while adding newly eligible voters. Initiated after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the drive seeks to guarantee a reliable voter list for the 2026 state assembly polls. The third phase, launched on June 5, included Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh.
Current Status
In Haryana, roughly 3.6 million voters remain uncleared, and enumeration forms from about 2.88 lakh electors are still pending. Over 3.3 million voters have already been placed in the ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Duplicate or Dead) category. Chief Electoral Officer of Haryana A. Sreenivas reported that by 6 pm on Tuesday, forms from around 1.70 crore (82.38 %) of the state’s 2.06 crore registered voters have been received and digitised. “We requested the Election Commission because we do not want a single eligible voter to be left out,” he said.
Andhra Pradesh faces a similar shortfall, with 40 lakh (9 %) enumeration forms still to be collected. Chief Electoral Officer Vivek Yadav also urged the extension, citing the need for complete coverage.
Implications and Next Steps
Under the revised schedule, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will continue house‑to‑house visits until July 24. The draft roll will be published on July 31, after which a window from July 31 to August 30 will allow for claims and objections. All notices must be resolved by September 28, and the final roll will be released on October 3. This additional time is expected to improve the accuracy of the rolls and reduce potential litigation before the elections.
Political Significance
Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of India’s democratic legitimacy. Both Haryana and Andhra Pradesh are slated for fiercely contested state elections, where every vote counts. The extension offers political parties a chance to recalibrate their outreach strategies while providing voter‑rights groups confidence that fewer eligible voters will be inadvertently omitted.