SIR Expansion to Remaining States Coming Soon: CEC Gyanesh Kumar

On the eve of the Election Commission's foundation day -- also celebrated as National Voters' Day -- Kumar said the revision exercise is presently being conducted "smoothly" in 12 states and Union territories.

The chief election commissioner said pure electoral rolls are the bedrock of democracy and added, "With this objective, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was initiated to ensure that every eligible elector's name is included in the electoral roll and that every ineligible name is removed."

This exercise has been successfully completed in Bihar, and a 'special revision' of electoral rolls is separately underway in Assam, Kumar said.

He said, "It (SIR) will soon be rolled out in the remaining states as well.

"The most compelling testament to the success of the SIR in Bihar was that not a single appeal was filed against the final electoral roll, establishing its sanctity and credibility," Kumar added.

According to the chief election commissioner, polls conducted on "this strong foundation" proved historic, recording the highest voter turnout since 1951 at 67.13 per cent, with women electors registering an unprecedented participation rate of 71.78 per cent.

He also emphasised the role of all electors, especially the youth, and urged them to vote without fail and to become ambassadors of democracy.

"I call upon our young electors to lead the fight against misinformation, disinformation, and false narratives. For this, it is essential that they remain fully informed about electoral processes and the various initiatives of the Election Commission," he said.

The Election Commission was established on January 25, 1950, a day before India became a republic.

For the past 16 years, the day has been celebrated as National Voters' Day.