The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a significant step towards cleaning up the electoral database by publishing the draft voter rolls for three key states. This follows the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign, a rigorous verification drive aimed at removing inaccuracies.
Massive Deletions Highlight Need for Verification
On Tuesday, 23 December 2025, the poll panel released the preliminary lists for Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The data reveals a substantial cleanup, with lakhs of names being struck off for various reasons. This exercise underscores the Commission's commitment to ensuring only eligible voters remain on the rolls.
The scale of deletions is particularly striking in Kerala. According to the draft roll details, the ECI collected forms from over 2.54 crore voters in the state. However, a staggering 22 lakh names have been proposed for deletion. This includes 6.49 lakh deceased voters, 1.36 lakh duplicate entries (people enrolled in multiple places), and 14.6 lakh voters who have either shifted residence or were absent during the verification process.
State-Wise Breakdown of Voter List Cleanup
The revision process has had a sweeping impact across the three states:
In Madhya Pradesh, the draft roll shows the removal of approximately 42.68 lakh voter names. The breakdown includes 31.5 lakh names of voters who have shifted or were absent, 2.77 lakh duplicate entries, and 8.46 lakh names of deceased individuals.
For Chhattisgarh, the SIR exercise led to the removal of 27.3 lakh names. This comprises 6.42 lakh deceased voters, 19.13 lakh voters who were absent or had moved, and 1.79 lakh duplicate registrations.
This data comes days after similar draft rolls were released for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and other states, where about 1.5 lakh voter names were deleted. The SIR is an exhaustive exercise that goes beyond the annual summary revision. It involves house-to-house enumeration, distribution of pre-filled forms, online submissions, and fresh verification of existing voter data to build a more accurate electoral roll.
How to Check Your Name in the Draft SIR Voter List
It is crucial for every citizen to verify their enrollment status. The draft rolls are now available for public scrutiny. As per standard procedure, printed copies have been provided to all recognised political parties by the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and District Election Officers (DEOs).
Online verification is the simplest method:
- Visit the official ECI website at https://voters.eci.gov.in/download-eroll and select your state.
- Choose your district and then your assembly constituency from the lists that appear.
- This action will open a Google Drive folder containing booth-level voter data in PDF format. These PDFs are labelled by taluka, village, or polling booth and part numbers. Locate the PDF for your specific booth (the booth number was mentioned on forms issued during the SIR campaign).
Alternatively, voters can directly search for their name using their EPIC number on the National Voters' Service Portal at https://electoralsearch.eci.gov.in/.
Separate lists categorising voters who are absent, have moved, are deceased, or are duplicates have also been uploaded on the respective CEO and DEO websites for transparency.
Why This Revision Matters
The publication of the draft roll is not the final step. It kicks off a period during which citizens can file claims and objections. If your name is missing or you find an error, you can approach the electoral authorities for correction. The final electoral roll will be published after considering all such applications.
The sheer volume of deletions, especially the 22 lakh names in Kerala, highlights the critical importance of this verification drive. An accurate voter list is the bedrock of a free and fair electoral process, ensuring that every valid vote counts and electoral fraud is minimized. Citizens are urged to proactively check their enrollment status to safeguard their fundamental right to vote.
