A massive clean-up of Madhya Pradesh's voter lists has resulted in the removal of a staggering 42.7 lakh names, marking one of the largest such exercises in the state's history. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has shrunk the electorate from approximately 5.7 crore to 5.3 crore, a net reduction of 7.4%.
Behind the Massive Deletion: Reasons and Numbers
Election officials conducted a door-to-door verification drive spanning 44 days, from November 4 to December 18. This effort covered all 65,014 polling booths across the state's 55 districts. The revision was carried out by a vast network including over 65,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs), 230 Electoral Registration Officers, and support from local government staff and volunteers.
The breakdown of the 42.7 lakh deletions is revealing. Officials confirmed that 8.4 lakh of these were voters who had passed away. A larger chunk, 31.5 lakh names, were removed because the individuals had permanently shifted from their registered addresses. Furthermore, 2.7 lakh duplicate entries were identified and purged from the system.
Unmapped Voters and the Path to Final Rolls
Alongside the deletions, the exercise flagged about 8.4 lakh "unmapped" voters. These are individuals whose current details could not be linked to the records from the last major SIR conducted in 2003. Their names are temporarily retained in the draft rolls published on Tuesday.
However, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Ram Pratap Singh Jadaun clarified that these voters will receive notices from their BLOs. They must produce the required documents to substantiate their claim within seven days of receiving the notice. Failure to do so may lead to their deletion when the final electoral rolls are published.
Provisional Status and Citizen Recourse
Officials have stressed that all deletions are currently provisional. Adhering to strict guidelines, no name can be permanently removed without a prior notice and a formal speaking order from the concerned officer.
A critical window for claims and objections is now open until January 22, 2026. This allows any eligible voter to apply for inclusion, correction of details, or restoration of their name. The process is designed to be accessible:
- Voters can first approach their Booth Level Officer or electoral registration officer.
- If unsatisfied, an appeal can be filed before the District Magistrate.
- A further appeal lies with the Chief Electoral Officer under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The revision process saw participation from six recognised national political parties through their 1.3 lakh booth level agents. Enumeration forms were received from 5.31 crore electors, covering over 92% of the electorate. This sweeping update aims to create clean, accurate, and up-to-date electoral rolls, reflecting two decades of demographic changes in Madhya Pradesh.
