New Delhi: The combined electoral rolls of nine states and three Union Territories have declined by nearly 6.08 crore voters following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list, according to official data released after Friday’s final publication of electoral rolls.

With Uttar Pradesh publishing its final electoral roll, the second phase of the SIR exercise on voters’ list revision has now been completed across 12 states and Union Territories, marking a significant update to India’s electoral database and voter registration records.

The states and Union Territories where final electoral rolls have been published include Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa, along with Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep, according to data compiled by Chief Electoral Officers and the Election Commission.

At the time the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was announced on October 27 last year, the combined voter base in these regions stood at approximately 51 crore electors. After completion of the revision process, the updated electoral roll count now stands at around 44.92 crore, reflecting a net reduction of about 6.08 crore voters.

The Election Commission voter list revision exercise, which drew significant political attention, had earlier been completed in Bihar. The second phase, covering these 12 states and Union Territories—accounting for nearly 51 crore electors—has now been concluded.

The remaining phase of the nationwide SIR voter list update will cover around 40 crore electors across 17 states and five Union Territories. This phase is expected to begin after the conclusion of the upcoming elections to five state assemblies.

In Assam, a separate special electoral roll revision process was completed on February 10, distinct from the SIR exercise.

However, the Special Intensive Revision of the voters’ list has seen multiple schedule changes across states due to administrative and procedural factors.

As in Bihar, the exercise has also faced legal and political scrutiny, with parties in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal challenging the SIR process in the Supreme Court, adding further controversy to the nationwide voter list revision drive by the Election Commission of India.

PTI