Over 1.5 Crore Voters Deleted in Third Phase of SIR

New Delhi, August 11, 2026: More than 1.5 crore voters have been deleted from the draft electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories following the latest phase of the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The deletions represent an estimated 11.5% reduction in the number of voters covered by the latest enumeration exercise. The final figures could change as the Election Commission considers new registrations, objections and appeals during the subsequent stages of the revision process.

Over 8.7 Crore Deletions So Far

The latest figures add to the large-scale changes already recorded during the previous two phases of SIR.

More than 7.2 crore voters were deleted during the first two phases across 13 states and Union Territories. With the latest deletions, the total number of electors removed from the rolls so far has crossed 8.7 crore, although these figures remain subject to revision during the appeals process.

At the same time, around 2 crore voters were added during the second phase. Taking both additions and deletions into account, the net reduction in the number of voters so far stands at around 6.7 crore.

The SIR process is intended to verify electoral rolls and identify voters whose details may no longer be valid.

Third Phase Covers Several States

The third phase covers a large number of states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura and Uttarakhand.

However, revised electoral rolls for some areas have not yet been published.

The door-to-door verification exercise has been extended in Delhi, Punjab, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Revised rolls for these areas are still awaited, along with those for Tripura and Nagaland.

Highest Rate of Deletion in Dadra and Nagar Haveli

The rate of deletion varies considerably between states and Union Territories.

Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu recorded the highest proportion of deletions, at 29.64%, according to the figures cited in the report. Sikkim recorded the lowest rate, at 8%.

In terms of absolute numbers, Andhra Pradesh recorded the largest reduction. Its electoral roll has fallen from around 4.16 crore voters to 3.71 crore.

Among the deletions in Andhra Pradesh, more than 22 lakh voters were reported to have shifted from their registered addresses or were absent during verification. A further 15.22 lakh were reported deceased, while 7.37 lakh cases involved multiple enrolments.

More Verification Still Underway

The SIR exercise has already covered several other states and Union Territories, including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, as well as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The scale of the deletions has prompted close attention to the verification and appeals process. Since the draft rolls are not necessarily the final electoral rolls, voters whose names have been removed may still have opportunities to raise objections or seek corrections in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Election Commission.

The Election Commission has not, however, provided figures indicating how many foreign nationals were found on the electoral rolls during the exercise.

As the third phase progresses, the final impact of the SIR on voter numbers will depend on the outcome of claims, objections, appeals and new registrations. The revised electoral rolls are therefore expected to provide a clearer picture once the remaining stages of the exercise are completed.

Courtesy : The Wire

Photo Courtesy : PTI