Guwahati: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will conduct a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union territories, including poll-bound Manipur, with January 1, 2027, set as the qualifying date for the exercise.
In a communication to the chief electoral officers of the states and Union territories concerned, the poll panel said the revision would focus on enrolling eligible voters, particularly young people and first-time electors, correcting errors in existing entries and ensuring that electoral rolls remain accurate and up to date.
The exercise comes ahead of Assembly elections in several states in 2027. The current term of the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly ends on May 22, 2027, while the terms of the Assemblies in Manipur, Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand are due to expire on different dates in March 2027. The respective Assemblies have 60, 40, 117 and 70 seats.
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Election Commission is permitted to conduct elections “earlier than six months before the term expires”.
The Special Summary Revision is a routine process for updating electoral rolls, including adding newly eligible voters and correcting existing entries. A Special Intensive Revision (SIR), by contrast, involves more extensive verification, including house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), scrutiny of voter entries and checks to identify duplicate or ineligible entries.
During a summary revision, for instance, a voter who has moved to a new address can apply to update their details. Under an intensive revision, officials may conduct physical verification to establish whether voters continue to reside at their registered addresses and identify other eligible residents.
The SIR exercise has triggered political controversy, with opposition parties raising concerns that the process could result in eligible voters being excluded from electoral rolls.
Critics have questioned documentation requirements and verification procedures, warning that migrant workers, elderly people and economically disadvantaged groups could face difficulties in establishing their eligibility.
The possibility of eligible voters’ names being deleted has been a key concern raised by opponents of the exercise. Petitions challenging aspects of the process have also reached the Supreme Court, bringing the Election Commission’s authority to revise electoral rolls and safeguards against wrongful exclusion under legal scrutiny.
The Election Commission has maintained that intensive revision is intended to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls by removing duplicate and ineligible entries, including those of deceased voters, while ensuring that all eligible citizens are included.