ECI Gives Extra Week for SIR Exercise, Final Rolls Now Due February 14
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In a move aimed at ensuring transparency, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise by a week. The revised schedule, announced on Sunday, affects 12 states and Union Territories, where the second phase of SIR was launched on October 27. The ECI has now extended the distribution of enumeration forms until December 11, and the draft electoral rolls will be published on December 16. The period for filing claims and objections has been extended to January 15, 2026. The final voters' list will now be published on February 14. Opposition parties have criticized the ECI for the revised schedule, claiming it shows a lack of preparation and a rushed process. However, ECI officials maintain that the extension is necessary to ensure transparency and allow Booth-Level Agents to thoroughly vet the voter lists. With uneven progress in digitizing enumeration data across states, the revised schedule is seen as a welcome move by some BLOs, who had demanded more time to complete the exercise. However, others feel that even a week's extension may not be enough to conduct the SIR properly. The ECI's move comes as the country gears up for Assembly elections in 2026, with Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal being among the states affected by the revised schedule.
