Election Commission announces third SIR phase in 16 states, three Union Territories

The Election Commission on Thursday announced a special intensive revision of electoral rolls in 16 states and three Union Territories.

With this, the exercise will have covered voter lists in all states and Union Territories, except Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The exercise in the state and the two Union Territories will be conducted later, the poll panel said, citing the ongoing Census and adverse weather.

Concerns have been raised that such a revision process could arbitrarily disenfranchise several voters.

There are currently 36.7 crore voters in the states and Union Territories covered in the third phase of the exercise. Nearly 59 crore electors have been covered in the first two phases.

In the first phase, the exercise took place in Bihar between July and September ahead of the Assembly elections in November. Forty-seven lakh voters in the state were excluded from the final electoral roll.

Twelve states and Union Territories, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, were covered in the second phase.

In West Bengal, about 91 lakh voters, nearly 11.9% of the electorate before the process began, had been removed as of April 6.

Ahead of the state polls, about 34 lakh appeals were reportedly pending before the tribunals. Of these, 27 lakh were filed by persons who were excluded. Appellate tribunals had allowed 1,607 names to be added back to...

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