The Election Commission of India has announced the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, set to begin in 12 states and Union Territories. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar revealed this information during a press conference in New Delhi on Monday. The states involved include Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, all of which are scheduled to hold elections in 2026.

The SIR aims to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded and no ineligible voter is included in the electoral rolls. Kumar stated, "Phase two of SIR will cover 51 crore voters. The enumeration process will start on November 4, with draft rolls published on December 9 and final rolls on February 7, 2026."

This ongoing revision is the ninth such exercise since India's independence, with the last one conducted between 2002 and 2004. The first phase of the SIR was successfully completed in Bihar, where the final list of nearly 7.42 crore electors was published on September 30. Polling in Bihar will occur in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.

Kumar emphasized the importance of the SIR in identifying and removing foreign illegal migrants from the electoral rolls by verifying individuals' places of birth. This initiative is particularly relevant given the recent crackdowns on undocumented migrants from countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar.

In Assam, where elections are also due in 2026, the revision of electoral rolls will be announced separately. The Election Commission has already conducted two conferences with state chief electoral officers to finalize the SIR rollout plan. Several states have made their previous voter lists available online, reflecting the last SIR conducted in their regions.