The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially announced the launch of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase III of electoral rolls across 16 States and 3 Union Territories (UTs) in India. The large-scale revision exercise aims to strengthen the accuracy, transparency, and inclusiveness of the country’s voter database ahead of future elections.
According to the press note issued from Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, the revision process will involve more than 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and 3.42 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs), covering nearly 36.73 crore electors.
What is Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a comprehensive electoral roll verification and updation process conducted by the ECI. During this exercise:
- Electoral rolls are updated and cleaned.
- Eligible citizens are added to voter lists.
- Duplicate, shifted, or deceased voters are identified.
- Political parties participate through Booth Level Agents (BLAs).
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conduct house-to-house verification.
The Election Commission stated that the Phase III revision schedule has been aligned with the ongoing house listing operations of the Census to ensure efficient field coordination.
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States and UTs Covered Under SIR Phase III
The ECI confirmed that SIR Phase III will be conducted in the following States and Union Territories:
- Odisha
- Mizoram
- Sikkim
- Manipur
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (DNH & DD)
- Uttarakhand
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Haryana
- Chandigarh
- Telangana
- Punjab
- Karnataka
- Meghalaya
- Maharashtra
- Jharkhand
- Delhi
- Nagaland
- Tripura
The Commission clarified that Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh are currently excluded from Phase III because of weather conditions and operational considerations in upper Himalayan and snow-bound regions. Their schedules will be announced separately.
SIR Phase III Schedule: Important Dates
First Cluster of States (Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur)
Qualifying Date: 1 July 2026
Draft Electoral Roll Publication: 5 July 2026
Claims & Objections: 5 July – 4 August 2026
Final Electoral Roll Publication: 6 September 2026
SIR in DNH & DD
Draft Roll Publication: 10 July 2026
Final Roll Publication: 11 September 2026
SIR in Uttarakhand
Draft Roll Publication: 14 July 2026
Final Roll Publication: 15 September 2026
SIR in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh
Draft Roll Publication: 21 July 2026
Final Roll Publication: 22 September 2026
SIR in Telangana and Punjab
Qualifying Date: 1 October 2026
Draft Roll Publication: 31 July 2026
Final Roll Publication: 1 October 2026
SIR in Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Delhi
Draft Roll Publication: 5 August 2026
Final Roll Publication: 7 October 2026
SIR in Nagaland
Draft Roll Publication: 20 September 2026
Final Roll Publication: 22 November 2026
SIR in Tripura
Draft Roll Publication: 21 October 2026
Final Roll Publication: 23 December 2026
Over 36.73 Crore Electors to Be Covered
One of the biggest highlights of the announcement is the scale of the exercise.
The ECI revealed that SIR Phase III will involve:
Electors Covered: 36,73,87,831
Booth Level Officers (BLOs): 3,94,541
Booth Level Agents (BLAs): 3,42,409
This makes it one of the largest electoral verification drives conducted globally.
How many states are included in SIR Phase III?
A total of 16 States and 3 Union Territories are included.
How many voters will be covered?
Approximately 36.73 crore electors will be covered under the exercise.
Why are Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh excluded?
The ECI cited weather conditions and snow-bound operational challenges as the reason for postponement.
What is the role of BLOs and BLAs?
BLOs (Booth Level Officers): Conduct field verification and voter data collection.
BLAs (Booth Level Agents): Representatives appointed by political parties to assist and monitor the process.
