Gujarat SIR Deleted Names Of Over 68 Lakh Voters; Election Commission Begins Damage Control Amid Protests
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Gujarat’s election machinery has begun a fresh exercise to identify eligible voters who were left out of the electoral rolls following the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted in the state. The move comes amid growing protests over the alleged indiscriminate deletion of voter names and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Exercise To Identify Voters Left Out After SIR
The Special Intensive Revision was carried out in Gujarat following an order from the Central Election Commission, with the stated objective of removing voters who were absent, had migrated or were deceased from the electoral rolls.
The exercise, which continued for several months and became controversial in December 2025, resulted in the deletion of more than 68 lakh voter names from the rolls.
The latest campaign will compare old and new voter lists to identify eligible voters whose names may have been left out during the SIR process.
Complaints Over Form-7 Deletions
Questions were also raised in several places over the alleged repeated filing of Form-7 without voters’ knowledge, resulting in the cancellation of large numbers of names from the electoral rolls.
The issue has triggered protests over what critics have described as indiscriminate deletion of voter names. The agitation has also included demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Amid the growing political pressure and protests in other states over the SIR process, the Gujarat election machinery has now started what is being described as a damage-control exercise.
Gujarat's SIR Numbers
Stage | Voters |
Status before SIR | 5,08,43,436 |
Reduction at draft stage | 73,73,327 |
Draft voter list | 4,34,70,109 |
Additions after draft | 9,56,121 |
Deletions after draft | 3,95,555 |
Final voter list | 4,40,30,725 |
Reduction compared with earlier list | 68,12,711 |
Special Camps On Four Sundays
As part of the campaign, special camps will be organised at all polling stations on four Sundays — October 11, October 18, October 25 and November 1.
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and designated election officials will remain present at the polling stations from 10 am to 5 pm.
Voters will be able to submit applications relating to claims and objections during these camps.
The campaign will focus not only on restoring the names of eligible voters who were left out during SIR but also on enrolling new eligible voters.
The exercise has brought the entire Gujarat election machinery, including BLOs, into the field as the Election Commission seeks to address the concerns surrounding the voter-list revision process.
