SIR in country from October? Election Commission to take call on pan-India SIR rollout

SIR Campaign: The Election Commission is set to update the voter list across the country, with the process likely to begin in October. Similar to the SIR carried out in Bihar, this exercise will help enhance transparency in the electoral rolls and strengthen public confidence in the voting process.

The Election Commission is preparing to launch a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign nationwide from October to update the voter rolls, according to the report by Navbharat Times citing sources. The Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states to complete the necessary preparations by September 30. Most states have indicated that they will be ready by the end of September, stated report.

EC To Take Call On Pan-India SIR Rollout

The Election Commission will soon decide on the date to roll out special intensive revision on a pan-India basis and the exercise to clean up the voter list across states may take place before the end of the year, officials said Wednesday.

After a day-long meeting of EC’s state chief electoral officers here, officials said with as many as five assembly polls due next year, the all-India SIR could take place in the coming months in 2025.

While senior EC officials made a presentation on the SIR policy of the Commission, the chief electoral officer of Bihar shared the state’s experience in implementing the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.

Election Commission On SIR

The Commission has said that after Bihar, SIR will be carried out in the entire country. Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are due in 2026.

The primary aim of the intensive revision is to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth. Eventually, the poll authority will begin SIR in the entire country “for the discharge of its constitutional mandate to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls”.

As part of the intense review, poll officials will carry out house-to-house verification to ensure an error-free voters’ list.

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