EC Orders Voter Roll Revision in 17 States, UTs

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday ordered a special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa, where Assembly elections are due next year.

The exercise, with January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date, aims to enrol eligible voters, particularly young and first-time electors, correct existing entries and remove discrepancies from electoral rolls. The final rolls are scheduled to be published on January 4, 2027.

In a letter to chief electoral officers, the EC said the revision schedule for states and Union Territories where the special intensive revision (SIR) is underway or has recently been completed, including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi, would be announced later.

For Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, where the SIR has not yet begun, the schedule will be announced separately, taking weather conditions into account.

The poll panel clarified that furnishing Aadhaar details for voter registration or corrections would remain voluntary.

"However, no application for inclusion of name in electoral roll shall be denied, and no entries in electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar number," the EC said.

The Commission also directed states and Union Territories to conduct extensive surveys to identify locations for new polling stations, particularly in high-rise residential complexes, group housing societies and urban slum clusters.

It said community halls and other common facilities on the ground floor of residential complexes could be considered for setting up polling booths to improve accessibility.

The revision comes ahead of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur in 2027.

The terms of the Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur Assemblies end in March, while that of Uttar Pradesh expires on May 22.