ECI announces Phase-III of SIR of electoral rolls; J&K, Ladakh excluded over census work, prevailing weather conditions

Alfaaz – The Words Desk

Srinagar, May 14: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced Phase-III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 16 states and three Union Territories, while Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been kept out of the current phase due to census-related processes and prevailing weather conditions in high-altitude and snow-bound areas.

The poll body said the revision exercise in this phase will cover Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana and Uttarakhand, along with Delhi, Chandigarh, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

According to the Commission, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh will be taken up separately after the completion of ongoing census-related work and assessment of accessibility in difficult terrain and upper reaches affected by seasonal weather conditions.

The ECI said the Special Intensive Revision is being implemented in a phased manner across the country to ensure accuracy and field-level verification of voter data. It added that the schedule for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be issued separately.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar urged electors to participate in the process by submitting Enumeration Forms during the revision exercise.

The Commission said more than 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers will carry out door-to-door verification of nearly 36.73 crore electors during the Enumeration Phase of SIR Phase-III. Around 3.42 lakh Booth Level Agents appointed by political parties will also participate in the process.

It described the exercise as a structured effort to update and verify electoral rolls with participation from electors, political parties and election machinery. The first two phases of SIR covered 13 states and Union Territories and nearly 59 crore electors, involving over 6.3 lakh Booth Level Officers and about 9.2 lakh Booth Level Agents.