Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 14: The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to postpone the proposed nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state until January 2026, citing the ongoing preparations for upcoming local body elections.
In a letter dated September 9, the SEC pointed out that a large number of elections — including those for 29 Municipal Corporations, 247 Municipal Councils, 42 Nagar Panchayats, 32 Zilla Parishads, and 336 Panchayat Samitis — are scheduled to take place over the coming months.
“The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, through its order dated May 6, 2025, directed the State Election Commission to make an endeavour to conclude the elections to local bodies in Maharashtra within four months, with liberty to seek extensions if necessary,” the letter stated.
The SEC explained that the same administrative machinery — deputy collectors and tahsildars — who would conduct the Special Intensive Revision are also appointed as Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers for the local body polls. “As the field staff is common for both exercises, it is requested that the Special Intensive Revision be deferred till at least the end of January 2026,” the letter said.
Officials said the delimitation of wards for Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis has been completed, while the process for Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats is in progress. Once delimitation is finalized, the bifurcation of Legislative Assembly electoral rolls for these local bodies will begin, followed by the actual elections.
A Special Intensive Revision involves house-to-house verification and a fresh preparation of electoral rolls to update or rebuild outdated data. It is usually undertaken before major elections or after delimitation exercises under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The ECI had earlier ordered a similar exercise in Bihar in June 2025, ahead of Assembly elections, requiring voters to furnish one of 11 approved documents to prove eligibility — a move that drew legal challenges. Following Supreme Court intervention, Aadhaar cards were accepted as a 12th valid document for voter verification.
The Maharashtra SEC, anticipating a heavy administrative workload due to the large-scale local body polls, has urged the central poll body to defer the exercise to ensure smooth conduct of both processes.