EC Plans Nationwide SIR, no Fresh Papers For Old Voters

• By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
• Sep 18, 2025
• 688

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will soon be conducted across the country, modeled on the recent exercise in Bihar but with additional refinements.

According to Commission officials, more than half of the voters in most states will not need to furnish fresh documents, as their names already exist in the voter lists prepared during earlier SIRs between 2002 and 2008. For these voters, earlier verification of date and place of birth remains valid.

Who Needs Documents?

Existing voters (before 2004): No fresh documents required.

New voters: Must submit a declaration of birth in India.

Post-1987 born voters: Need to produce parents’ citizenship documents.

Strengthening

To improve efficiency, the EC plans to deploy 200,000 new Booth Level Officers (BLOs), ensuring at least one election representative per 250 households. A uniform roadmap for SIR implementation will be finalized after consultations with state election authorities.

The Commission will also fix a nationwide timeline for:

Filing voter forms,

Submitting claims and objections,

Document verification, and

Publishing draft and final voter lists.

The entire process is expected to take four to five months, with extended windows for applications and claims—45 days each, instead of the 30 days followed earlier.

Valid Documents for Voter Registration

In Bihar’s SIR, 12 documents were accepted, including Aadhaar, which was added after a Supreme Court directive. However, the number may vary across states depending on local requirements. Inputs have been sought from states on possible additions or exclusions.

Timeline of Past SIR Exercises

2002–03: Most states

2005: Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir

2006–07: Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh

2008: Delhi

Key Clarification

Commission sources stressed that the upcoming nationwide SIR is not connected to the Bihar Assembly elections, but rather aimed at ensuring a cleaner, updated voter database across India.

Analysis:

This move reflects the EC’s attempt to balance ease for existing voters with strict scrutiny for new registrations, especially those born after 1987, where proof of parentage is mandatory. The deployment of additional BLOs indicates a push for micro-level verification to prevent duplication and fraudulent entries.