New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is likely to roll out the next phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the remaining 22 states and Union Territories after the ongoing round of Assembly elections concludes, according to official sources.

The third and final phase of the nationwide voter list verification exercise, initially expected to begin in April, has been deferred due to the electoral calendar.

The rollout is now expected to take place after the completion of the Assembly polls, likely post-June 2026.

SIR is a large-scale exercise aimed at cleaning and updating electoral rolls by removing duplicate or ineligible entries, adding newly eligible voters, and correcting demographic details.

The initiative, reintroduced in 2025 after a gap of over two decades, is designed to ensure accuracy and transparency in voter databases ahead of major elections.

So far, the revision process has already been carried out in 10 states and three Union Territories, with final electoral rolls published in most of these regions.

The exercise has led to significant changes in voter lists, including large-scale deletions of ineligible names and fresh inclusions of eligible citizens.

The upcoming phase will cover a substantial portion of the electorate, with estimates suggesting that over 35 crore voters across the remaining states and UTs will be part of the verification drive.

The process typically involves booth-level officers conducting door-to-door checks, verification of documents, and updating records based on migration, deaths, or new registrations.

The SIR exercise has also attracted political attention, with opposition parties in some states raising concerns over alleged voter deletions and demanding transparency in the process.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the revision is essential to ensure free and fair elections by maintaining error-free electoral rolls.

With multiple states heading into elections this year, the ECI is prioritising poll conduct before resuming the nationwide revision, which is expected to play a crucial role in shaping future electoral preparedness.