New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 22 States and Union Territories to complete preparatory work for the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, scheduled to begin in April 2026.

The directive covers Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Ladakh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana, and Uttarakhand. The ECI has urged officials to complete all preparatory activities promptly to ensure a smooth rollout of the revision process.

Currently, a nationwide SIR is underway in 12 other states and UTs: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

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The move comes ahead of the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), which will fill 37 seats across 10 states. The term of members from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will end in April 2026, vacating these seats for new elections, according to an ECI press note.

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The election process will officially commence with the notification on February 26, with the last date for nominations set for March 5. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 6, and candidates can withdraw their nominations by March 9. Polling is scheduled for March 16, with counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm. The process is expected to conclude by March 20.

The ECI has also mandated the use of only integrated violet-coloured sketch pens for marking preferences on the ballot papers, ensuring uniformity and compliance with election regulations.

ANI