The Election Commission of India's (ECI) second round of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR 2.0) of electoral rolls has led to the deletion of a staggering 6.56 crore electors across nine states and three Union Territories. This figure represents nearly 13% of the total registered voters in these regions, marking a significant increase from the 8.3% deletions recorded during the first SIR round in Bihar last year.
Massive Deletions in Uttar Pradesh Lead the Trend
With the publication of the draft roll for Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the full picture for all 12 states and UTs has emerged. The total number of electors in these regions has plummeted from 50.97 crore on October 27, 2025, when the EC announced SIR 2.0, to 44.40 crore in the latest draft.
Uttar Pradesh, where the draft publication was delayed three times, witnessed the most dramatic purge. The state's voter count fell by nearly 19%, from 15.44 crore to 12.55 crore. The breakdown of deletions in UP is revealing: 14.06% were declared absent or having shifted residence, 1.65% were found enrolled at multiple places, and 2.99% were deceased.
Navdeep Rinwa, the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh, stated that of the 12.55 crore voters on the draft list, 1.4 crore will receive notices as their mapping process remains incomplete. "Such people will start receiving notices from today. The notice will contain a list of documents that they can submit as proof for inclusion in the final list in March," he explained.
Reasons Behind the Large-Scale Voter Purge
The deletions are a result of a meticulous door-to-door enumeration drive conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) starting November last year. Voters were primarily removed for three reasons: being marked as absent or shifted, being enrolled at multiple locations, or being deceased.
The data shows that the maximum deletions are due to voters being marked absent or having shifted. After UP, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu saw over 10% of electors deleted for this reason. Overall, Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded the highest percentage of shifted/absent electors at 16.72%.
The exercise holds particular significance for states like Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, where Assembly elections are due in the first half of 2026. Their total deletion percentages stand at 8.64%, 7.6%, 15.18%, and 10.12%, respectively.
Process, Objections, and Legal Challenges
Electors in Uttar Pradesh and other states now have a one-month window to submit claims and objections. This allows eligible voters left out of the draft to apply for inclusion and for ineligible entries to be challenged. The final electoral roll for UP is scheduled for publication on March 6, 2026.
The EC initiated the nationwide SIR on June 24, 2025, beginning with Bihar. Unlike the usual annual summary revision, the SIR required preparing rolls afresh. All registered voters were asked to submit enumeration forms within a set timeframe, with some categories required to provide additional documents to establish eligibility, including citizenship.
This process, however, has not been without controversy. The EC's June 24 order has been challenged in the Supreme Court by petitions questioning the poll panel's powers and the adopted methodology. Opposition parties have criticized the exercise, likening it to a back-door implementation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The EC has defended the move, stating that no intensive revision had been conducted for two decades, a period marked by rapid urbanisation, migration, and issues of multiple entries. The commission bases its authority on Article 326 of the Constitution, which stipulates that only citizens are entitled to be registered as electors.
As the claims and objections process unfolds, the final voter lists for all 12 states and UTs, expected in February-March 2026, may see further revisions, shaping the electoral landscape for upcoming polls.
