NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is set to meet on September 10 to discuss the preparedness of a pan-India rollout of special intensive revision (SIR) of voters’ list, PTI reported citing officials. This comes as assembly elections in states like West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, along with Puducherry are set to take place in 2026, indicating the possibility of SIR in these states by the year-end.The intensive revision aims to identify and remove illegal foreign migrants by verifying place of birth, a step gaining importance amid crackdowns on migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar in several states. Meanwhile, the opposition has accused the Centre of targeting Bengali-speaking people across country, calling them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Bihar SIR, controversy, and new measures
The revision of the voters’ list in Bihar drew criticism from opposition parties, who alleged that the exercise could disenfranchise crores of eligible citizens due to lack of proper documents.The Election Commission introduced additional measures in the ongoing intensive revision of electoral rolls to address concerns over the enrollment of illegal migrants. These steps came amid opposition allegations that the poll panel has manipulated voter data to favor the ruling party. As part of the new measures, an additional declaration form has been made mandatory for certain applicants, particularly those seeking to register as voters or shift their enrollment from outside the state. Applicants are required to declare that they were born in India before July 1, 1987, and furnish supporting documents to establish their date and place of birth. For those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, the declaration process requires submission of documents proving the date and place of birth of their parents. These safeguards, the Commission maintains, are designed to ensure that foreign nationals do not get included in the country’s voters’ list.
