Special Intensive Revision: Over 13 Crore Names Removed from Draft Voter Lists
More than 13 crore names have been removed from draft electoral rolls (the first, provisional version of the voter list) across 30 States and Union Territories since the Election Commission of India (ECI) began the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in June 2025.
The SIR began in Bihar (order of 24 June 2025), where about 65 lakh names were left out of the draft roll. A second phase covering 12 States and UTs was announced on 27 October 2025, and later phases followed.
Reported reasons for removal include voters found to be dead, shifted to another place, absent at their address, or listed more than once (duplicate entries). The share removed varies widely between States.
A name missing from a draft roll is not a final deletion. People can still file claims and objections, and new voters can apply through Form 6, before the final roll is published.
The scale of removals has led to protests and fresh questions about the exercise and about the functioning of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). In May 2026, the Supreme Court upheld the SIR as within the ECI's powers, while saying that removal from the roll is not a declaration that a person is not a citizen.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls
An electoral roll is the official list of voters for a constituency. Only people whose names are on this list can vote. A Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is a very detailed check of this list, in which it is rebuilt almost from scratch. Officials visit homes, collect fresh forms from every voter and check documents, instead of only adding or removing a few names as in a normal yearly update.
The 13 crore figure counts names left out of draft rolls across 30 States and UTs. Because the SIR rebuilds the roll from fresh forms, anyone who did not return a form, had died, or had moved shows up as a removal at this stage; many can still get back on the list before the final roll.
Appointment and Removal of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners
The Election Commission of India (ECI) runs elections to Parliament, state assemblies and the offices of President and Vice-President. It is led by a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and, at present, two other Election Commissioners (ECs). The Constitution and a 2023 law lay down how they are chosen and how they can be removed. These rules matter because a fair election needs an umpire that no government can easily pressure.
The large number of deletions has led to calls for scrutiny of the CEC's role. The Constitution gives the CEC strong protection on purpose: removal needs the same difficult process as removing a Supreme Court judge, so that the umpire of elections cannot be pushed out easily by any government or majority.
Representation of the People Act, 1950: The Law Behind Voter Lists and Seats
The Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA 1950) is the law passed by Parliament that decides who can be a voter, how voter lists are made and corrected, and how many seats each State gets in Parliament and the State legislatures. Think of it as the rulebook for the voter list. Its companion law, the RPA 1951, deals with how elections are actually conducted.
Every step of the SIR, from the special revision order to deletions and appeals, runs under the RPA 1950. Its safeguards, especially the right to be heard before deletion (Section 22) and the right to appeal (Section 24), are what allow people removed from the draft rolls to challenge the decision.
- Names removed from draft rolls since June 2025: over 13 crore, across 30 States and UTs
- SIR started in Bihar: order dated 24 June 2025; about 65 lakh names left out of Bihar's draft roll
- Second phase announced: 27 October 2025, covering 12 States and UTs
- Aadhaar accepted as the 12th document (identity only, not citizenship): September 2025
- Supreme Court upheld the SIR: 27 May 2026
- Legal basis: Article 324, Article 326 (adult suffrage, 18 years), Section 21(3) RPA 1950
- CEC removal: Article 324(5), same as a Supreme Court judge
- New voter registration form: Form 6