Factor in recent such examples: In June 2004, the ECI ordered a ‘deep review of electoral rolls’ in seven northeastern states and J&K.
Besides, it has ordered ‘special summary review’ in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and West Bengal, Nirtachal and Nirebarku islands. Daman and Dev, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, NCT of Delhi, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. Prior to this, ‘major revision’ of electoral rolls was carried out in 20 other states/UTs, including Bihar, in two phases in 2002 and 2003, except for North Eastern states and J&K.
Spring 2025- A special case
The SIR of 2025 in Bihar varies in many numbers. While a ‘more’ revision is largely a ‘de novo’ exercise, preparing a new electoral roll from scratch, the Bihar SIR uses the 2002-03 electoral roll as a basis. At the same time, it includes the pre-printed counting form that is usually included in the form of door-to-door verification and the submission of documents, which is associated with a ‘serious’ review. It is also, in terms of timing, very different from previous in-depth review exercises.
The EC has rarely ordered a state-wide and full-scale in-depth review 4-6 months before the scheduled assembly elections in a state, as is the case with Bihar. Bihar saw its last major revision in 2002, three years away from the October 2005 assembly elections.
Similarly, when the EC, on June 29, 2004, announced a complete role review in eight states, it chose to leave two states to await such a serious role review. It was Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra where assembly elections were scheduled in October 2004.
“In Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra, the general elections for the assembly will be held in the latter half of 2004. So the program in these two states will be announced after the elections are over.”
Instead, according to the September-December 2004 EC newsletter, a “specific summary review of roles” was announced for Maharashtra ahead of the October 2024 assembly elections.
The EC has, in fact, often conducted a ‘serious’ review of certain aspects of a state. In Tamil Nadu – following audit reports that revealed deficiencies in the conduct of electoral officers at various levels during a critical review of the electoral rolls in 2002 – the poll committee on October 19, 2004 ordered a special review of a critical nature with house-to-house counting in the six municipal wards of Chennai. Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, and Tirunelveli.
In the wake of the Gujarat riots, the ECI announced on August 16,2002, a repeat of the 2002 “Special Review of a Serious Nature”.
Types of Electoral Roll Revisions
A closer look: This is usually a de novo process without reference to an existing role; Includes at least 2 household verification visits by booth level officer
Summary review: roll is simply updated; There is no door-to-door counting but objections are resolved before publication of the final roll
Special summary review: EC can order if it finds wrong coverage or poor coverage of any area. The EC may adopt changes in the existing procedure
Some in depth and some summary review: Available Electoral Rolls are published in draft form and are reviewed by families for verification and submitted through the Claims/Objections process.
Chronology of role review
1950
Originally Section 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 provided for annual review with March 1 as the qualifying date.
1952 b
After the first elections in 1952, the EC directed that from 1952 to 1956, the annual revision of the electoral rolls should cover 1/5th of the entire state so that each region should be revised intensively at least once before the second generation of elections.
1956 b
The EC directed a serious revision of the lists every year in certain areas where the electoral roll could be inaccurate: (i) urban areas (ii) areas with a labor-intensive population (iii) areas where large population movements had taken place.
1957
Post 1957: Lok Sabha Elections: The EC directed that during each of the next three years, the electoral rolls of 1/3 of the entire state should be revised intensively, whereas during 1961 the revision would be extensive only in urban areas, slum areas, migrant populations and service voters.
1960
After the amendments in the RP Act, 1950, the EC ordered an annual review of the roles between January 1 and January 31 of the year.
1962
LS polls after 1962: EC directed adequate ‘summary review’ for 1963 and 1964. The remaining 60% was done in 1966
1966
After 1966: A District Electoral Officer was appointed in each district and a summary roll review was carried out in 1969-70 and 1975.
1976
Emergency: There were no Lok Sabha elections in 1976; The EC conducted a summary roll review
1983
In 1983: Rigorous revision of all rural constituencies ahead of 1985 LS elections.
1987-88
All constituencies have been seriously modified; Special review in 1989
1992
A brief review was ordered and followed by a major overhaul with the introduction of the EPIC card in 1993
1995
A deeper review is coming
1999-2000
During the computerization of electoral rolls, there was no serious revision in 1999, 2000.
2002
Special in-depth review in 20 states; In-depth review in 7 states in 2003-04
