New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a Special Revision of Assam’s electoral rolls, a focused verification exercise that will culminate in the release of the final voters’ list on February 10, 2026. The move comes as the state prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections, where the accuracy of the voter list remains a central political concern.

Unlike the routine summary revision conducted annually, the ECI has opted for a more targeted and upgraded verification process tailored specifically to Assam’s demographic and administrative requirements.

Why has Assam been given a Special Revision instead of SIR?

Officials clarified that the exercise ordered for Assam sits “somewhere between” a standard revision and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) recently ordered in states such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.

While Assam was not part of that SIR list, the Commission chose a separate, contextualised process for the state to improve the accuracy and integrity of its electoral rolls.

A key change is that booth-level officers will use pre-filled voter registers instead of blank forms, allowing them to confirm or update details more efficiently and minimise errors during field verification.

What does the schedule look like?

According to the notice issued to Assam Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anurag Goel:

Door-to-door verification: November 22 to December 20, 2025

Draft roll publication: December 27, 2025

Final roll publication: February 10, 2026

All eligible voters, Indian citizens aged 18 or above by January 1, 2026, ordinarily residing in the constituency, and not disqualified, must be included. Duplicate or ineligible entries will be removed.

What are officials expected to check during verification?

The CEO and booth-level officers must ensure:

Families remain listed together

Polling stations are accessible and have no more than 1,200 electors, unless specially approved

Deceased, duplicate, or shifted voters are deleted

New voters turning 18 by January 1, 2026 are enrolled

Photos meet ECI standards

Possible need for new polling stations is assessed

Aadhaar numbers may be added voluntarily, but the ECI has clarified that no voter can be removed for not providing Aadhaar.

What is Assam’s response?

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the decision, stating on X that the January 1, 2026 qualifying date and the new verification method will ensure “clean, updated and accurate electoral rolls.”

Political parties will be engaged at every stage, and the final roll will be published only after written approval from the Commission.