DW Bureau / Chandigarh (May14,2026):  Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mrs. Anindita Mitra on Thursday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) will undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across Punjab to ensure that the voter database remains accurate, inclusive and free from discrepancies. Addressing a press conference at the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer here, Mrs. Mitra said the large-scale revision exercise will commence across the state from June 15, 2026. As part of the programme, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will carry out extensive door-to-door verification to identify newly eligible voters, shifted voters, absent electors and duplicate entries in the electoral rolls.

She said the primary objective of the exercise is to include every eligible citizen in the voter list while removing ineligible or duplicate entries in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India. Mrs. Mitra informed that Punjab has completed most preparatory arrangements for the smooth implementation of the revision process. Around 24,453 BLOs, 2,476 Supervisors, 117 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and 234 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) will be deployed across the state for the exercise.

She said each BLO has been assigned approximately 300 households and nearly 1,200 voters to ensure effective field-level verification and timely completion of the process. Training programmes for BLOs and supervisory staff will be conducted from June 15 to June 24, 2026.

The CEO said voter verification forms will be collected during the house-to-house campaign, and BLOs will make up to three visits to households to ensure maximum voter coverage and retrieval of forms. Mrs. Mitra informed that under the Pre-SIR mapping exercise conducted by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, mapping of over 1.79 crore voters has already been completed out of the total electorate of 2.14 crore voters in the state, accounting for nearly 83.69 percent coverage. Rural areas have recorded around 89.58 percent mapping, while urban areas have achieved nearly 73 percent coverage so far.

She further informed that the draft electoral rolls will be prepared and published on July 31, 2026, after completion of rationalisation of polling stations by July 24. Following publication of the draft rolls, citizens will be able to file claims and objections regarding inclusion, deletion, correction or shifting of voter details from July 31 to August 30, 2026.

During the revision period, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will issue notices, conduct hearings and pass speaking orders on all claims and objections received. The disposal process will continue till September 28, 2026, while the final electoral rolls will be published on October 1, 2026. Providing details about voter-related forms, Mrs. Mitra said Form 6 will be used for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls, while Form 8 can be used for correction, updating and transfer of voter details. Objections regarding duplicate or incorrect entries will also be entertained during the prescribed claims and objections period. The CEO clarified that Aadhaar Card will be accepted only as a means of identification and not as proof of citizenship during the revision exercise. However, in cases where voter details are successfully matched with previous electoral roll records, additional supporting documents may not be required.

In cases involving discrepancies or mismatch of records, voters may be asked to provide supporting documents such as Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Birth Certificate, Passport, educational certificates or other residence- and identity-related documents for verification purposes. Mrs. Mitra appealed to voters across Punjab to cooperate fully with BLOs during the house-to-house verification drive and ensure that their electoral details are accurate and updated. She also urged political parties to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for smooth conduct and greater transparency in the revision process. She added that the Election Commission is committed to conducting the Special Intensive Revision in a fully transparent, participative and error-free manner to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process in Punjab.