House-to-house enumeration under the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will begin today, Tuesday, November 4. The SIR announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on October 27, will be carried out in 12 states and union territories. The voter lists of these regions were frozen at 12 am on October 27.
SIR 2.0 to cover nearly 51 crore voters
The 12 states and union territories where SIR will be conducted and counting will begin today are: Andaman & Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Voters will receive Unique Enumeration Forms, which will be distributed by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). There are nearly 51 crore voters in these states and union territories.
ECI SIR schedule
The Phase 2 of SIR had begun with printing and training from October 28 to November 3, 2025. Now, house-to-house enumeration will take place from November 4 to December 5. After the completion, draft electoral rolls would be published on December 9, claims and objections can be raised from December 9 to January 8, 2026, notice phase including hearing and verification will take place from December 9, 2025 to January 31, 2026, and final electoral rolls will be published on February 7, 2026, which will mark the conclusion of SIR process in these states.
Notably, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal will go to polls next year.
What is SIR?
The SIR is a large-scale, house-to-house verification drive conducted by the ECI to ensure the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls. SIR’s objective is to produce an error-free voter list by ensuring that the names of all eligible citizens are included in the Electoral Roll (ER). It also has to make sure that no ineligible voter is included in the electoral rolls. While carrying this process, the ECI has to maintain complete transparency in the process of addition or deletion of electors in the electoral rolls.
How is it conducted?
For SIR exercise, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are tasked with conducting house-to- house survey for verification. EROs/AEROs will print Unique Enumeration forms (EFs) for each elector as on 27th October, 2025. EFs will contain necessary details as contained in the current voter list.
Duties of BLOs:
Distribute the EFs to each existing Elector.
Help the Elector in matching/ linking with either their name or their relative’s name in last SIR held in 2002-2004.
For Matching/ Linking Electors/ BLOs can also access All-India database (https://voters.eci.gov.in/) of previous SIR.
Collect Form 6 & Declaration form for inclusion of new Elector and help in Matching/Linking.
Help the Elector fill in the EF, collect it and submit it to the ERO/AERO.
Make at least 3 Visits to the house of each Elector.
Electors can also fill the EF Online, particularly urban voters/temporary migrants.
Identify dead, permanently shifted and voters who are registered at more than one place.
Except the EF, No other document needs to be collected with EF during Enumeration Phase.
EROs/ AEROs will:
Include in the Draft Rolls, the names of all Electors whose Enumeration Forms are received.
Issue Notice to all those Electors whose names could not be matched/linked with last SIR.
Hear such cases for eligibility and decide on inclusion or exclusion of their names in Final Rolls
EROS/AEROs must ensure that:
No eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible person is included.
District Magistrates (DMs) will hear the first appeal against the decision of ERO Chief Electoral Officers will hear the 2nd Appeal against the decision of DMs.
