EC eyes October electoral roll revision across poll-bound states

NEW DELHI: EC is likely to order special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur in Oct, with Jan 1, 2027 as the qualifying date.

However, it is unlikely to go for a nationwide SSR this year in view of SIR Phase 3 underway in 19 states/UTs and the ongoing Census exercise, reports Bharti Jain.As per media reports, EC's SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi are said to have objected to non-conduct of a nationwide SSR after Jan 1, 2025. However, sources said SIR was underway towards the end of 2025 in a dozen states and had been completed only a few months ago in Bihar.

EC was also planning the third phase of SIR covering 19 states/UTs in 2026.EC also had to be mindful of the Census exercise. The first phase was scheduled between April 1 and Sept 30, 2026, while the second phase is underway in Ladakh and snow-bound areas of J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand and was recently advanced in states due for assembly polls early next year.SSR in poll-bound states will be in accordance with Sec 21 of RP Act, which mandates rolls revision with reference to qualifying date before each poll or bypoll. Since polls in five states are due in Feb-March 2027, updated rolls will have to be published in Jan 2027.