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The Election Commission of India is set to convene a two-day meeting in Delhi starting Wednesday, bringing together Chief Election Officers (CEOs) from all states and union territories to evaluate preparations for a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, according to officials.

The meeting will be attended by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vineet Joshi, as well as other senior officials and deputy election commissioners. Senior officials at the Election Commission emphasised the meeting’s importance, noting that it will focus on assessing compliance with directives issued during the previous meeting on September 10, which aimed to lay the foundation for the SIR process. The agenda includes reviewing the progress made on tasks assigned to state CEOs last month and identifying any pending actions.

The session is scheduled to commence on Wednesday afternoon and conclude on Thursday after a morning session. During the meeting, the poll panel is expected to establish more precise targets for the SIR process.

Sources speaking to media persons revealed that the primary focus will be on launching the SIR process nationwide by the end of 2025. Discussions will also cover whether to conduct the revision in a single phase across the country or in two phases, taking into account factors such as weather conditions, agricultural cycles, and examination schedules.

 

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Unlike the routine annual and pre-election special summary revision conducted over the past two decades, the SIR entails a comprehensive overhaul of the electoral rolls to ensure their accuracy and completeness.

In June 2025, the Election Commission announced the nationwide Special Intensive Revision of the voter list, starting with Bihar due to the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. This decision sparked significant controversy, particularly among Opposition parties, who labelled it a "vote theft" exercise designed to favour the ruling dispensation. 

The poll panel, however, firmly rejected these allegations, asserting that maintaining accurate electoral records is a constitutional duty.

 

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