UP SIR: Over 2.89 Crore Names Deleted as EC Publishes Draft Electoral Roll, 81.3% Voters Retained

Lucknow: The Election Commission on Tuesday released the draft electoral roll for Uttar Pradesh under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, retaining a majority of electors while removing a significant number of entries after field verification.

According to official figures, out of a total 15.44 crore registered voters in the state, 12.55 crore names, 81.30 per cent have been retained in the draft voter list. At the same time, nearly 2.89 crore names have been deleted, accounting for about 18.7 per cent of the electorate.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh Navdeep Rinwa said the deletions were carried out after detailed verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and district election machinery. The removed entries include voters who were found to be deceased, shifted permanently, untraceable, absent during verification, or registered at multiple places.

Officials said that among the deleted names, over 46 lakh voters were identified as deceased, while a large number of entries were removed due to migration, non-availability at registered addresses, or duplication in the rolls. The SIR exercise was undertaken to improve the accuracy and credibility of the electoral database in the country’s most populous state.

The publication of the draft roll marks a crucial stage in the revision process. Voters whose names are missing or whose details are incorrect can file claims and objections during the prescribed period. Applications for inclusion can be submitted using Form 6, while objections to existing entries can be raised through Form 7, either online or with the help of BLOs.

Election officials clarified that the final electoral roll will be published after the disposal of all claims and objections, following due scrutiny. The Commission has maintained that the revision process is being conducted in a transparent manner and has urged voters and political parties to actively participate to ensure no eligible voter is left out.

The large-scale deletions have triggered political reactions, with opposition parties expressing concern and closely monitoring the revision process. However, the Election Commission has reiterated that the exercise is purely administrative and aimed at removing ineligible or erroneous entries from the voter list.

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