Gujarat's Voter List Undergoes Major Revision, Electorate Drops by 13.39%
In a significant electoral update, the special intensive revision of Gujarat's voter list has resulted in a substantial reduction of the state's electorate by 13.39%. After months of meticulous verification, deletions, and additions, the final electoral roll now stands at 4.40 crore voters, a notable decrease from the 5.08 crore recorded in 2025. This double-digit percentage decline highlights a comprehensive state-wide effort to refine voter records by updating mortality data, tracking migration patterns, and integrating a new cohort of first-time voters.
From Draft to Final Roll: Key Changes and Figures
The draft roll, published by the office of the chief electoral officer in December 2025, initially listed 4.35 crore voters. Between the draft publication and the finalization of the list, the electorate experienced a net increase of 5.61 lakh voters, representing a 1.29% rise. This adjustment reflects the dynamic nature of voter registration processes in Gujarat.
The December 2025 draft list had documented a total of 73.73 lakh deletions. These deletions were categorized as follows:
- 40.33 lakh voters were identified as having permanently shifted from their registered locations.
- 18.05 lakh voters were removed due to confirmed deaths.
- 9.80 lakh voters were absent from their registered addresses during verification.
- 3.79 lakh voters had duplicate voter cards, necessitating removal.
- 1.95 lakh voters were deleted for various other reasons.
Following the draft publication, an additional 3.96 lakh names were deleted from the rolls after objections and further verification. Concurrently, 9.56 lakh voters were added to the final list. These additions primarily included new electors who turned 18 in January 2026, as well as individuals who were inadvertently omitted from the draft roll.
District-Wise Analysis: Leaders in Voter Additions and Deletions
At the district level, Ahmedabad emerged as the top performer in absolute numbers, with its final roll comprising 49.13 lakh voters. This marks an increase from 48.07 lakh in the draft, resulting in a net rise of 1,05,632 voters. Ahmedabad also recorded the highest number of additions at 1,53,234 new electors, the largest figure among all districts in Gujarat.
In terms of percentage growth, Dang district registered the highest proportional increase at 2.15%, despite having a relatively small total voter base of 1.95 lakh. Other districts with notable percentage growth include:
- Porbandar at 2.12%
- Jamnagar at 2.01%
- Botad at 1.98%
- Chhota Udepur at 1.96%
- Gandhinagar at 1.81%
Among major urban centers, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot reported substantial additions, reflecting ongoing migration trends and increased youth enrolment. Surat, in particular, added 1,01,578 voters but also deleted 85,734 names—the highest deletion figure in the state. This resulted in a net increase of 15,844 voters and a percentage growth of 0.44%. The 85,734 deletions in Surat account for approximately 21.67% of the 3.96 lakh names removed statewide after the draft list.
In contrast, Surendranagar was the only district to record a net decline compared to the draft roll. While 21,316 voters were added, 21,415 names were deleted, leading to a marginal drop of 99 voters.
This revision underscores Gujarat's commitment to maintaining an accurate and up-to-date voter database, crucial for ensuring fair and transparent electoral processes in the state.
