Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday ordered holding the annual special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 States and Union territories, including those where assembly polls are due “early next year”.
The final rolls in these states and Union territories will be published on January 4. A senior EC functionary explained that SSR is an annual exercise mandates under election law. It is specially held in poll-bound States. In these 17 States, special intensive revision of voters’ list has been completed. In Assam, a special revision instead of SIR had taken place due to legal reasons. For the first time, parties will be shared “readable” electoral rolls at draft and final stages in both hard and soft versions. Candidates in poll-bound states will also be shared draft and final rolls. Rolls will also be made available for sale by the ERO to other persons before the elections. To ensure inclusion of youth, those turning 18 on or before January 1 next, will be encouraged to fill enrollment forms. This will help them become voters ahead of polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab. The EC told its poll officials that polls in these states are due “early next year”. In its letters to chief electoral officers of these states, the poll authority said January 1, 2027 will be the qualifying date.
The poll roll revision aims to enrol eligible voters, particularly young and first-time electors, correct electoral roll entries and improve the purity of voter lists.
In SSR, there will be no house-to-house visits by BLOs to electors as SIR has already taken place and electors have more or less been identified. The states where SSR will be held are: Andaman and Nicobar Island, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
While the term of the 403-member UP assembly ends on May 22 next year, the terms of the 60-member Manipur, 40-member Goa, 117-member Punjab and 70-member Uttarakhand assembly end on different dates in March 2027.
Provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 allows EC to hold polls “earlier than six months before the term expires”.