Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Nov 3: The Election Commission of India (ECI) informed the Madras High Court on Monday that the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu will create a completely new voter list, unlike the usual annual Special Summary Revision (SSR) which only updates the existing list.
ECI standing counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan explained before the First Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan, that:
• SSR: Retains the current electoral rolls; only those seeking inclusion, deletion, or correction apply.
• SIR: Requires complete re-enumeration of all voters, including those already registered.
Under the SIR, every voter must fill a fresh enumeration form, available online or from Booth Level Officers (BLOs). BLOs will:
• Collect one copy of the filled form,
• Provide an acknowledgment to the voter, and
• Conduct door-to-door verification for those who do not submit forms.
Supporting documents are not required unless discrepancies are detected. However, first-time voters and migrants from other states must submit a declaration form along with proof of age and identity. BLOs will have sufficient stocks of forms for distribution.
The SIR in Tamil Nadu was announced on October 27, with training for officials conducted from October 28 to November 3. Key dates:
• Enumeration: Nov 4 – Dec 4, 2025
• Draft electoral roll publication: Dec 9, 2025
• Claims and objections period: Dec 10, 2025 – Jan 8, 2026
• Completion of related inquiries: Jan 31, 2026
• Final roll publication: Feb 7, 2026
Rajagopalan emphasized that the ECI has constitutional authority to conduct both SSR and SIR under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and that SIR exercises have been done at least 10 times previously, most recently in Tamil Nadu in 2002 and 2005. The aim is to ensure all eligible voters are included and no ineligible entries remain.
The Madras High Court directed that all petitions regarding Tambaram, T. Nagar, and Karur constituencies be listed together for hearing on November 13, 2025.