New Delhi, September 26: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken several important decisions regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
At a meeting held on Saturday, September 26, the Commission decided to ease the document verification and hearing process for voters who have received notices during the SIR exercise.
Under the revised procedure, voters who are issued notices because they remain ‘Unmapped’ or due to logical discrepancies will not be required to mandatorily visit the office of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) for a hearing.
Instead, the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO) will visit the voter’s residence and collect the required documents. The documents will subsequently be uploaded on ECINet, following which the ERO will take a decision based on the submitted records.
However, in cases where further verification is considered necessary, the ERO may call for a hearing. The Commission has said that online hearings will be preferred wherever possible. Voters may also authorise an adult member of their family to appear on their behalf during the hearing, if required.
The Election Commission has also directed District Election Officers to establish adequate help desks and organise special camps for people living in night shelters, workers, economically disadvantaged sections and homeless citizens. The aim is to ensure that such groups can participate in the revision process without facing additional difficulties.
The Commission has retained the declaration accompanying Form 6 for the SIR process, in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court. For periods that do not fall under the SIR exercise, the applicable forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, will continue to be used.
ECINet Review Committee
The Commission also took a decision regarding the use of ECINet. Field-level election officials will continue to use the platform within the scope of their statutory powers.
In addition, a committee will review the functioning of ECINet. The committee will be headed by a Deputy Election Commissioner and will include an independent expert from an IIT or IIM.
SIR Deadlines Extended in Delhi and Maharashtra
The Election Commission has also revised the SIR timeline for Delhi.
In Delhi, the deadline for filing claims and objections has been extended until October 30, 2026. The deadline for disposal of notices, claims and objections has been extended to November 30, 2026.
In Maharashtra, voters will now have time until October 12, 2026, to submit claims and objections. The deadline for disposal of notices, claims and objections has been extended until November 10, 2026.
The latest decisions are aimed at making the SIR verification process more accessible, particularly for voters who may face difficulties in appearing personally before election officials.
