The Election Commission on Monday ordered a ‘Special Revision’ of electoral rolls in Assam, setting January 1, 2026 as the qualifying date for inclusion of new voters.
In its instructions issued to the state’s chief electoral officer, the Commission said the exercise will help update voter records ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
Officials explained that a “Special Revision” is positioned between the routine annual Special Summary Revision and the more exhaustive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) undertaken in select states.
Also read: Election Commission gears up for SIR in Bengal
While the summary revision is a yearly activity to add new voters or correct entries, the SIR is deployed when the EC feels a state requires a deeper, door-to-door verification of the rolls, usually ahead of major elections, when demographic shifts, allegations of discrepancies, or security concerns demand a more rigorous clean-up of the voter list.
Last month, the EC ordered SIR in Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal will head to the polls in 2026.
The Commission is expected to announce the SIR for Assam separately, as the state too is scheduled for elections next year.
Follow us
