SIR begins in Indore to verify and update voter list:Collector vows zero tolerance on fake voters; Congress calls it action after ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ campaign

The process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list has begun in Indore district under the direction of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The exercise aims to prepare a transparent and error-free electoral roll by identifying fake, duplicate, or deceased voters and ensuring that no eligible citizen is left out. According to the schedule released by the Commission, training of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will be completed by November 3, followed by a door-to-door survey from November 4 to December 4. The draft voter list will be published on December 9, and claims and objections will be accepted from December 9, 2025, to January 8, 2026. After verification and hearings, the final voter list will be published on February 7, 2026. Meeting held under Collector’s chairmanship A meeting chaired by Collector and District Election Officer Shivam Verma was held at the collectorate on Tuesday, attended by representatives of political parties and senior officials.
During the meeting, additional Collector and Deputy District Election Officer Navjeevan Vijay Panwar, Assistant Deputy Election Officer Ajit Srivastava, and other officers provided detailed information on the programme, procedures, and ECI guidelines for the revision process. Collector Verma emphasized that this special revision is not a routine exercise but a systematic operation to remove ineligible names from the voter list. Our priority is to ensure a 100% accurate and transparent voter list. he said, urging political parties to cooperate with BLOs in identifying genuine voters and removing fake entries. Zero tolerance against fake entries Verma made it clear that the administration would show zero tolerance towards irregularities in the voter list. Every name will be verified door-to-door. Names of deceased persons, duplicate entries, or those registered with incorrect addresses will be deleted to maintain the sanctity of the electoral roll. he said. He added that political party representatives must act responsibly and assist the administration in implementing this operation honestly. Detailed instructions for the verification process will be issued separately. SIR to cover all 2,625 polling stations Under the Special Intensive Revision, BLOs will visit each household within their assigned areas to verify voter details across 2,625 polling stations in the district. Each Assembly constituency will have a designated Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), supported by Assistant EROs at the tehsil level. BLOs will distribute enumeration forms (EF) to voters, help link their details with earlier records, and collect Form-6 applications for new voters. They will identify deceased, shifted, or duplicate voters during the process. During verification, no additional documents will be required beyond the enumeration form. The EROs will include verified names in the draft list and issue notices to those whose eligibility remains unconfirmed. Appeals against ERO decisions can be made to the District Magistrate, while the Chief Electoral Officer will hear second appeals. Claims, objections, and publication The draft electoral roll will include the names of all verified voters. Lists of absent, shifted, or deceased (ASD) voters will be displayed publicly and on the CEO’s website. EROs and AEROs will conduct hearings on such cases, ensuring that all eligible citizens are included and no ineligible ones remain. Volunteers will also be appointed to assist voters. The Commission has instructed that no polling booth should have more than 1,200 voters, and rationalisation of booths will be carried out where necessary. Political reactions Commenting on the drive, Congress state spokesperson Neelabh Shukla said that this national revision follows the party’s campaign against voter fraud. After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched the ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ campaign, the Election Commission began similar revisions in Bihar, and now in 12 states, to eliminate fake and deceased voters from the rolls. Shukla said.