Election Commission to Launch Intensive Voter List Revision in Five States by Year-End Amid Allegations by Opposition

Election Commission to Launch Intensive Voter List Revision in Five States by Year-End Amid Allegations by Opposition

New Delhi – The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to launch an intensive revision of voter lists in five states by the end of this year, ahead of their 2026 assembly elections. The move comes amid serious allegations by opposition parties that the Commission manipulated electoral data to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Responding to these concerns, the ECI has announced enhanced measures as part of its intensive revision process to ensure that the names of illegal immigrants are not included in the electoral rolls. The states slated for this comprehensive voter list verification are Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, where assembly terms are set to end between May and June 2026.

In addition, the Commission has prioritized Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year. Bihar will undergo an immediate and special intensive revision — the first such exercise since 2003.

As part of the drive, booth-level officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door verification to ensure error-free voter rolls. The Commission cited rapid urbanization, increasing internal migration, a growing youth population becoming eligible to vote, underreporting of deaths, and inclusion of foreign nationals as key reasons behind this nationwide revision initiative.

To strengthen verification, the ECI has introduced an additional ‘Declaration Form’ for new applicants and those arriving from other states. Applicants must submit an affidavit affirming that they were born in India before July 1, 1987, along with relevant documents confirming their date and place of birth. Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must also provide documents related to their parents’ birth details.

The Commission emphasized that it will strictly adhere to constitutional and legal provisions related to voter eligibility, as outlined in Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

A senior official stated, “The aim of this exercise is to fulfill the Commission’s constitutional obligation of ensuring the purity and fairness of electoral rolls across the country.”

This upcoming revision is expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring transparency and restoring public trust ahead of crucial state elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.