SIR to be conducted in 22 states and union territories in third phase, Election Commission says process to begin from April

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Election Commission of India on Thursday announced the nationwide rollout of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Election Commission Secretary Pawan Dewan has written to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 22 states and Union Territories, directing them to complete all preparations related to SIR at the earliest.

According to the letter, the SIR process in the third phase is expected to begin from April in the remaining 22 states and Union Territories, including Delhi and Karnataka. The Election Commission also reminded officials that an order was issued on 24 June last year to conduct SIR across the entire country.

The Election Commission had already completed the first phase of SIR in Bihar. Under the second phase, SIR has been underway since 28 October 2025 in 12 states and Union Territories. During this process, voter lists are being updated, new voters are being added, and errors in electoral rolls are being corrected.

In the second phase, SIR was announced in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Now, under the third phase, SIR will be conducted in the remaining 22 states and Union Territories of the country.

What is SIR

SIR is a process carried out by the Election Commission to update electoral rolls. Under this exercise, new voters aged 18 years and above are added to the voter list. Names of deceased voters and those who have shifted permanently are removed. Errors related to names and addresses are also corrected. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visit households and assist voters in filling out the required forms.