Episode

Who counts the votes

Who selects the referee, which records the public may see, how the revision of the rolls spread across states, what happened to names on the rolls, and how vote shares compared with seats — in order, from court records, Election Commission figures and news reports.

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Chapter 1

The referee

Who chooses the Election Commission, what changed in 2023, and how are its decisions taken?

From 1950, Article 324(2) left the appointment of Election Commissioners to the President, "subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament", and in practice the President acted on the Prime Minister's advice. A 1990 committee and a 2015 Law Commission report proposed consulting the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice, and in March 2023 the Supreme Court recorded that no such law had been enacted. For how many years did that article wait for a law?

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1950-01-26

Constitution leaves the appointment of Election Commissioners to the President, subject to a law by Parliament

1950-01-26

Constitution leaves the appointment of Election Commissioners to the President, subject to a law by Parliament

Article 324(2) of the Constitution provides: "The Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President." In Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India on 2 March 2023, the Supreme Court recorded that "No law, however, came to be enacted by Parliament" on appointments, noting calls for one starting with the Goswami Committee in 1990 and the Law Commission's 255th Report in 2015; that "Seven decades have passed by"; and that the President, "acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, in accordance with the concerned Rules of Business, has been making appointments."

Source: Supreme Court of India, Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India judgment (LiveLaw copy)www.livelaw.in Archived copy

2015-03-12

Law Commission recommends a PM, Opposition leader and CJI collegium for EC appointments

The Law Commission of India's Report No. 255, "Electoral Reforms", sent to the Union Law Minister with a letter dated 12 March 2015, recorded that in the absence of a Parliamentary law the Election Commissioners "are appointed by the government of the day, without pursuing any consultation process". It noted that the Goswami Committee in 1990 had suggested that "the CEC should be appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha". Adapting that proposal, it recommended that "the appointment of all the Election Commissioners, including the CEC, should be made by the President in consultation with a three-member collegium or selection committee, consisting of the Prime Minister; the Leader of the Opposition of the Lok Sabha (or the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha in terms of numerical strength); and the Chief Justice of India."

Source: Law Commission of India, Report No. 255 (Electoral Reforms)cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in Archived copy

2023-03-02

Supreme Court sets a PM, Opposition leader and CJI panel for EC appointments

In Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India, a five-judge Constitution Bench held that Election Commissioners be appointed by the President on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India, until Parliament legislates on the matter.

Source: Supreme Court Observerwww.scobserver.in Archived copy

In March 2023 a five-judge bench set a three-member panel to pick Election Commissioners: the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.

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2023-03-02

Supreme Court sets a PM, Opposition leader and CJI panel for EC appointments

2023-03-02

Supreme Court sets a PM, Opposition leader and CJI panel for EC appointments

Source: Supreme Court Observerwww.scobserver.in Archived copy

Ten months later, a law replaced the Chief Justice on that panel with a Union minister named by the Prime Minister. Of three seats, how many does the government now fill?

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2023-12-28

Law drops the CJI from the EC selection panel and adds a minister named by the PM

2023-12-28

Law drops the CJI from the EC selection panel and adds a minister named by the PM

The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 received presidential assent, replacing the Chief Justice of India on the selection committee with a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister, alongside the PM and the Leader of the Opposition — leaving a two-to-one balance in the government's favour on the panel.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

2023-03-02

Supreme Court sets a PM, Opposition leader and CJI panel for EC appointments

Source: Supreme Court Observerwww.scobserver.in Archived copy

In February 2025 the new panel chose its first Chief Election Commissioner. The Leader of the Opposition filed a dissent note the same day, arguing the selection should wait for a Supreme Court hearing on the Act due within 48 hours.

Receipts

2025-02-17

First Chief Election Commissioner chosen under the amended selection panel

2025-02-17

First Chief Election Commissioner chosen under the amended selection panel

Gyanesh Kumar was selected as Chief Election Commissioner by the committee constituted under the 2023 Act — the Prime Minister, a Union minister nominated by the PM, and the Leader of the Opposition — the first CEC chosen under the panel that had replaced the Chief Justice of India.

Source: The Weekwww.theweek.in Archived copy

2025-02-17

Opposition leader files a dissent note over the timing of the new CEC selection

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi submitted a dissent note to the selection committee choosing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, arguing the appointment should be deferred because the Supreme Court was due to hear a challenge to the selection law within 48 hours; he called proceeding "disrespectful and discourteous."

Source: The Weekwww.theweek.in Archived copy

In May 2025 the Commission announced ECINet, one platform to absorb over 40 of its apps, among them ERONET, the system Electoral Registration Officers use for roll applications, and the BLO App. It said data would be "entered solely by the authorized ECI official" and that statutory forms would prevail in any conflict. Does "authorized ECI official" mean the Electoral Registration Officer named in Section 13B, or any officer the Commission authorises?

Receipts

2025-05-04

ECI announces ECINet to replace over 40 apps, including ERONET and the BLO app

2025-05-04

ECI announces ECINet to replace over 40 apps, including ERONET and the BLO app

On 4 May 2025 the Election Commission announced ECINet, a single platform to "integrate and reorient over 40" of its mobile and web applications; the list it published includes ERONET 2.0, the system EROs use to process roll applications, and the BLO App. It said data on ECINet "will be entered solely by the authorized ECI official" and that "in case of any conflict, the primary data as duly filled in statutory forms will prevail". The platform was launched on 22 January 2026; according to PTI, the Commission's documents now call the roll functions the "Electoral Roll module of ECINET Portal (previously ERONET)".

Source: Press Information Bureau (Election Commission of India)pib.gov.in Archived copy

In late November 2025 the Millennium Post reported that booth-level officers across West Bengal were struggling to upload enumeration forms because the BLO app server had been unstable since 26 November, about a week before the then deadline to digitise them; the state Chief Electoral Officer's office said it had flagged the problem to the Commission. For forms not digitised by the final enumeration deadline, did the elector go into the draft roll or out of it, and was a count published?

Receipts

2025-11-27

Bengal SIR: BLO app server unstable days before digitisation deadline, CEO office flags it to ECI

2025-11-27

Bengal SIR: BLO app server unstable days before digitisation deadline, CEO office flags it to ECI

The Millennium Post reported on 28 November 2025 that booth-level officers across West Bengal were struggling to upload enumeration forms because the BLO app server had been unstable since 26 November, about a week before the then deadline of 4 December to digitise the forms. The state Chief Electoral Officer's office acknowledged the problem and said it had been flagged to the Election Commission. Statewide digitisation rose from 78.42 per cent to 82.91 per cent in a day, against at least 10 to 15 per cent a day on average according to an EC official; the draft roll was then due on 9 December.

Source: Millennium Postwww.millenniumpost.in Archived copy

Goa's final roll on 21 February 2026 left out 97 electors whom its Electoral Registration Officers had found eligible after hearings ordered by the Supreme Court. Emails reported by The Indian Express show eight emails and letters between 11 and 17 February seeking a rollback option in ECINet, and a Deputy Election Commissioner writing to the IT division on 18 February that the "IT system cannot block necessary action as per the directions of SC". What did the IT division do with that instruction before the roll was published, and is it on record?

Receipts

2026-02-21

Goa: 97 voters found eligible by EROs left off final SIR roll despite eight emails seeking a rollback

2026-02-21

Goa: 97 voters found eligible by EROs left off final SIR roll despite eight emails seeking a rollback

Goa published its final SIR roll on 21 February 2026 without 97 electors whom its Electoral Registration Officers had found eligible after hearings ordered by the Supreme Court. The Indian Express reported, from emails it quotes, that eight emails and letters between 11 and 17 February sought a rollback option in ECINet, and that on 18 February a Deputy Election Commissioner wrote to the Director General of IT that the "IT system cannot block necessary action as per the directions of SC". ECI officials said on 24 September, as reported by Deccan Chronicle, that one ERO had clicked the wrong option and the software "allows an action only once". On 1 October the Goa CEO said, as reported by ThePrint (PTI), that 88 of the 97 had filed Form 6 and been accepted, three held Portuguese passports and six were living outside India.

Source: The Indian Expressindianexpress.com Archived copy

On 23 September 2026 The Indian Express reported that two Election Commissioners had put objections on record at least 14 times in 10 months to decisions issued in the Commission's name. The Commission said the same day that its decisions in the past year were "unanimous decisions of the full Commission". If every decision was unanimous, at what stage were the 14 recorded objections resolved, and does the Commission's record show it?

Receipts

2026-09-23

Report says two Election Commissioners objected on record 14 times in 10 months; ECI replies

2026-09-23

Report says two Election Commissioners objected on record 14 times in 10 months; ECI replies

The Indian Express reported on 23 September 2026 that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had put objections on record at least 14 times over 10 months, four of them on a single day, to decisions and instructions issued in the Commission's name, including on the addition and deletion of voters, changes to Form 6, West Bengal roll appeals and control of the electoral-roll database. The Election Commission said the same day that "differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation", that it had introduced around 40 new initiatives, and that its decisions in the past year, including the SIR, were "unanimous decisions of the full Commission". It did not address the contents of the individual notes.

Source: The Indian Expressindianexpress.com Archived copy

On 24 September 2026, a day after the report, Commission officials citing official documents said ECINet is "a decentralised platform" and "No one else can perform their statutory functions on ECINet, including any other officer of the ECI". On Goa, they said one ERO had "mistakenly clicked the 'not satisfied' option" and the software "allows an action only once"; the emails The Indian Express reported the same day record EROs in several constituencies finding the 97 eligible after hearings and seeking a rollback. Which of the two accounts does the Goa electoral record support?

Receipts

2026-09-24

ECI officials say ECINet is decentralised and no one but field officers can perform their statutory functions on it

2026-09-24

ECI officials say ECINet is decentralised and no one but field officers can perform their statutory functions on it

A day after the report on the Commissioners' objections, Election Commission officials, citing official documents, said ECINet is "a decentralised platform" on which BLOs, AEROs, EROs, DEOs and CEOs perform statutory functions with unique IDs, and "No one else can perform their statutory functions on ECINet, including any other officer of the ECI". They said the Commission provides only cybersecurity, citing 68 lakh hacking attempts on a counting day. On Goa, they said an ERO had "mistakenly clicked the 'not satisfied' option" and the software "allows an action only once". Two days later the Commission's press note said field officers have "role-based access … as per their statutory powers".

Source: Deccan Chroniclewww.deccanchronicle.com Archived copy

2026-02-21

Goa: 97 voters found eligible by EROs left off final SIR roll despite eight emails seeking a rollback

Source: The Indian Expressindianexpress.com Archived copy

The same day Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer wrote to the Commission seeking ECINet changes during the SIR notice phase, The Indian Express reported, including an "Exempted from Hearing" option, since the software's "Take Action" menu offered two choices and neither let the ERO waive a hearing. The Commission's 26 September note let EROs dispense with hearings. Before 26 September, which order or instruction, if any, set the options that menu gave EROs?

Receipts

2026-09-24

Maharashtra CEO asks ECI for ECINet changes so EROs can use discretion the rules give them

2026-09-24

Maharashtra CEO asks ECI for ECINet changes so EROs can use discretion the rules give them

On 24 September 2026, Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam wrote to the Commission's Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and Director General of IT seeking changes to ECINet during the SIR notice phase, The Indian Express reported: an "Exempted from Hearing" option, since the software's "Take Action" menu had only two choices; an "Other/Other Equivalent Document" option; power for EROs to decide cases now sent to district officers; an optional "Extract of Last SIR" upload; and written FAQs, because "oral instructions from ECI or CEO are insufficient". The Commission's 26 September note let EROs dispense with hearings and said further flexibility "will be made operational".

Source: The Indian Expressindianexpress.com Archived copy

Three days later, after a meeting of all three Commissioners, the Commission announced with "the unanimous approval of the Commission" a review of its ECINet platform, and agendas and minutes for all Commission meetings. Before 26 September 2026, how many Commission meetings had circulated agendas and issued minutes?

Receipts

2026-09-26

ECI orders ECINet review and meeting agendas and minutes after full Commission meeting

2026-09-26

ECI orders ECINet review and meeting agendas and minutes after full Commission meeting

Three days after the report on recorded objections, the Election Commission announced decisions taken at a meeting of all three Commissioners with "the unanimous approval of the Commission": a committee with an independent IIT/IIIT expert to review the ECINet platform, statutory forms including Form 6 to be used outside the SIR period, new IT modules to be vetted before approval, and agendas and minutes for all Commission meetings. It said "Field officers have role-based access to the ECINET system as per their statutory powers", that the Commissioners' letter to the Cabinet Secretary was "not related to any policy matter", and that 81 of 97 affected Goa voters had filed Form 6 at the time. On 1 October the Goa Chief Electoral Officer's status report, as reported by ThePrint (PTI), gave 88 accepted Form 6 filings, 3 Portuguese passport holders and 6 living outside India.

Source: ThePrinttheprint.in Archived copy

During hearings on 29 and 30 September 2026, a Bombay High Court bench in Goa, hearing a Santa Cruz family whose names were deleted after their Form 8 address change could not be processed, said the ERO "must have the key of the software", The Times of India reported. The Commission told the court the software could not process Form 8 in that phase and that voters in similar cases had been restored through Form 6. A name restored through Form 6 is entered as a new elector: does the roll record how the original entry was deleted, and whether a hearing under Rule 21A was held?

Receipts

2026-09-30

Bombay High Court in Goa: the ERO "must have the key of the software"

2026-09-30

Bombay High Court in Goa: the ERO "must have the key of the software"

Hearing a Santa Cruz family of six whose names were deleted after their Form 8 address change could not be processed in the SIR software, a Bombay High Court bench in Goa said during hearings on 29 and 30 September 2026 that the ERO "must have the key of the software… It cannot be with a third person", and that the SIR "suspends Section 22, Rule 21A and all those rules and says forget about all the laws. Now you follow the software", as reported by The Times of India. The Election Commission told the court its software could not process Form 8 in that phase and that voters in similar cases had been restored by filing Form 6; the court said "You have no business asking them to fill Form 6 because the system didn't allow you to do it on Form 8."

Source: The Wire (reporting The Times of India)thewire.in Archived copy

On 5 October 2026 the Supreme Court issued notice on petitions alleging that 14 decisions were taken in the Commission's name despite the recorded objections, and declined to suspend the Chief Election Commissioner without hearing the respondents. Will the two Commissioners' recorded objections on the 14 decisions be placed before the Court with the replies?

Receipts

2026-10-05

Supreme Court issues notice on pleas against 14 ECI decisions, declines to suspend CEC

2026-10-05

Supreme Court issues notice on pleas against 14 ECI decisions, declines to suspend CEC

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice to the Union, the Election Commission, the Chief Election Commissioner and both Election Commissioners on petitions alleging that 14 SIR-related decisions were taken in the Commission's name despite objections recorded by two Commissioners between October 2025 and August 2026. The Court declined to suspend CEC Gyanesh Kumar without hearing the respondents; the Chief Justice said, "If there is any violation, we will undo." The respondents' replies were awaited.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

Minutes of an 11 August 2026 meeting, reported by The Indian Express on 6 October, record at least 12 of the 19 judges heading West Bengal's SIR appellate tribunals saying the ECINet portal gave them no way to serve notices, take additional documents, hold virtual hearings or restore a deleted voter. The concerns went to the Commission and the Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice. Since those minutes, has the portal been changed to let a tribunal restore a deleted voter?

Receipts

2026-10-06

Bengal SIR tribunal judges' August minutes: ECINet could not serve notices or restore voters; concerns sent to ECI

2026-10-06

Bengal SIR tribunal judges' August minutes: ECINet could not serve notices or restore voters; concerns sent to ECI

The Indian Express reported on 6 October 2026 that minutes of an 11 August meeting record at least 12 of the 19 judges heading West Bengal SIR appellate tribunals saying the ECINet portal gave them no way to serve notices, take additional documents, hold virtual hearings or restore a deleted voter, and did not let appellants download tribunal orders. The concerns were conveyed to the Election Commission and the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court; one judge had written to the Chief Justice about the missing notice mechanism on 22 May. The paper sought responses from the Commission and the High Court's Registrar General on 1 October; neither had responded.

Source: The Wire (reporting The Indian Express)thewire.in Archived copy

On 8 October 2026 the Hindustan Times reported that a researcher had emailed CERT-In on 8 July, copying the Commission, about ECINet flaws, including a server that returned election officials' names and mobile numbers without a login; CERT-In replied on 6 October that one flaw was fixed and the rest were "under progress". The paper said none of the flaws related directly to EROs' access to the roll. Will the ECINet review committee announced on 26 September publish its findings, and will they address these reports?

Receipts

2026-10-08

Researcher says ECINet flaws reported in July; CERT-In replies in October that one is fixed

2026-10-08

Researcher says ECINet flaws reported in July; CERT-In replies in October that one is fixed

The Hindustan Times reported on 8 October 2026 that a security researcher had emailed CERT-In on 8 July, copying the Election Commission's complaints address, about flaws in its voter-services website and the ECINet app, including a server that returned election officials' names and mobile numbers without a login. CERT-In replied on 6 October, a day after the paper sent questions, that one flaw had been fixed and work on the rest was "under progress". The paper said none of the reported flaws related directly to EROs' access to the roll and that no theft or misuse of data was alleged. The Commission did not respond to the paper.

Source: Hindustan Timeswww.hindustantimes.com Archived copy

Chapter 2

The rules

Which records may the public see, and for how long?

The same Act carried a clause, added by amendment in the Rajya Sabha and absent from the 1991 Act it replaced, that bars courts from hearing civil or criminal proceedings against a serving or former Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioner for acts done or words spoken in, or purporting to be in, the discharge of official duty. What does "purporting to act" in official duty cover that acting in it does not?

Receipts

2023-12-28

2023 election commissioners law bars court proceedings against serving and former CEC and ECs

2023-12-28

2023 election commissioners law bars court proceedings against serving and former CEC and ECs

Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, published in the Gazette on assent, provides that "no Court shall entertain or continue any civil or criminal proceedings" against any person who is or was a CEC or EC for anything done or spoken in, or purporting to be in, the discharge of official duty. The clause was not in the Bill introduced on 10 August 2023; the Law Minister added it by amendment in the Rajya Sabha, which passed the Bill on 12 December 2023. The 1991 Act it replaced had no such provision.

Source: Gazette of India (Ministry of Law and Justice)egazette.gov.in Archived copy

In December 2024, on the Commission's recommendation, five words were added to the rule on which election papers the public may inspect; officials named a High Court order to release Haryana poll records as the trigger. Which papers does "as specified in these rules" now leave out, and who decides?

Receipts

2024-12-20

Centre amends election rule to limit public inspection to papers "specified in these rules"

2024-12-20

Centre amends election rule to limit public inspection to papers "specified in these rules"

On the Election Commission's recommendation, the Law Ministry notified the Conduct of Elections (Second Amendment) Rules, 2024, changing Rule 93(2)(a) from "all other papers relating to the election shall be open to public inspection" to "all other papers as specified in these rules relating to the election shall be open to public inspection". EC officials said the rule did not explicitly cover electronic records and the change was made "to safeguard the misuse of CCTV", citing voter secrecy; they named a Punjab and Haryana High Court order of 9 December 2024 directing release of Haryana poll records as the trigger. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the move would be challenged legally.

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

A petition against the amendment was filed on 24 December 2024, and the Supreme Court issued notice in January 2025. No judgment had been reported as of October 2026.

Receipts

2025-01-15

Supreme Court issues notice on Jairam Ramesh petition against Rule 93 amendment

2025-01-15

Supreme Court issues notice on Jairam Ramesh petition against Rule 93 amendment

A bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar sought responses from the Union and the Election Commission on Congress MP Jairam Ramesh's petition, filed on 24 December 2024, challenging the December 2024 amendment to Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. A similar petition by transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj was tagged with it on 3 February 2025; on 17 April 2025 the Commission was given three more weeks to reply and the matter was posted to July 2025. No judgment had been reported as of October 2026.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

On 31 January 2025, hearing a challenge to raising the number of voters per polling station, the Supreme Court directed that the Commission "shall maintain the CCTVs from which the videos are recorded as they were doing earlier".

Receipts

2025-01-31

Supreme Court tells Election Commission to keep polling CCTVs "as they were doing earlier"

2025-01-31

Supreme Court tells Election Commission to keep polling CCTVs "as they were doing earlier"

Hearing Indu Prakash Singh's petition against raising the maximum number of voters per polling station, a bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed that the Election Commission "shall maintain the CCTVs from which the videos are recorded as they were doing earlier". The Commission's counsel sought more time to file its affidavit, which the court granted.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

In May 2025 the Commission set 45 days as the period to keep CCTV, webcast and video of the polls, after which footage may be destroyed where no election petition is filed. The Leader of the Opposition said evidence was being destroyed; the Commission replied that sharing footage would enable identification of electors. Did the May letter refer to the Court's 31 January direction to maintain the CCTVs "as they were doing earlier"?

Receipts

2025-05-30

Election Commission sets 45-day retention for CCTV, webcast and video footage of polls

2025-05-30

Election Commission sets 45-day retention for CCTV, webcast and video footage of polls

In a letter to state Chief Electoral Officers, the Election Commission directed that CCTV, webcasting and photography of election processes be preserved for 45 days — the period for filing an election petition — and that "if no election petition is filed in respect of a particular constituency, then the said data may be destroyed", revising instructions of September 2024. The Commission cited "the recent misuse of this content by non-contestants for spreading misinformation and malicious narratives on social media", and said electoral law does not mandate such recordings, which it uses as an internal management tool.

Source: The Wirethewire.in Archived copy

2025-06-21

Rahul Gandhi alleges EC is destroying poll footage; Commission replies sharing it would identify voters

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the Commission was "destroying the evidence" by cutting retention of polling footage from one year to 45 days, adding "the match is fixed". The Election Commission replied that "sharing the footage would enable easy identification of electors by any group or individual", exposing voters and non-voters to pressure, discrimination and intimidation.

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

On 1 August 2025 the Law Minister told the Lok Sabha, citing the Commission, that poll footage "is akin to giving Form 17A (Register of Voters) live" and can be given only on a competent court's order, and that no proposal to reassess the Rule 93 amendment was pending. The question had also asked whether parties were consulted: which line of the answer addresses that?

Receipts

2025-08-01

Law Minister tells Lok Sabha poll footage is "akin to" Form 17A; no Rule 93 review pending

2025-08-01

Law Minister tells Lok Sabha poll footage is "akin to" Form 17A; no Rule 93 review pending

Asked whether the Election Commission had cut retention of election video footage to 45 days, whether parties were consulted, and whether the Rule 93(2)(a) amendment would be reassessed, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal replied, citing the Commission, that footage must be preserved while an election petition is filed and pending, and that it "is akin to giving Form 17A (Register of Voters) live", which is restricted under Rule 93(1) and can be given only on a competent court's order. The reply said the amendment "merely removes the ambiguity" and "No proposal is pending with the Government to reassess" it; it did not separately address consultation with parties.

Source: Lok Sabha (Ministry of Law and Justice), Unstarred Question No. 2203sansad.in Archived copy

At a press conference on 17 August 2025 the Chief Election Commissioner asked, "Should anybody's CCTV footage, including your mothers, daughters, daughters-in-law be made public?", and on 6 October said such footage can only be shared with high courts.

Receipts

2025-08-17

CEC cites voter privacy on not sharing polling-booth CCTV footage

2025-08-17

CEC cites voter privacy on not sharing polling-booth CCTV footage

At a press conference on 17 August 2025 responding to Rahul Gandhi's "vote chori" allegations, including his demand for polling-booth CCTV footage, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar cited voter privacy for not sharing the footage and asked: "Should anybody's CCTV footage, including your mothers, daughters, daughters-in-law be made public?"

Source: ThePrinttheprint.in Archived copy

2025-10-06

CEC says polling-station CCTV footage can be shared only with high courts

Responding to a question at the press conference announcing the Bihar assembly election schedule on 6 October 2025, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said CCTV footage of polling stations can only be shared with high courts, where an election petition is filed, saying giving such electronic records to the public breaches the privacy of voters. He said webcasting footage of voting is akin to Form 17A, which is not shared with political parties, PTI reported.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

As reported on 12 November 2025, the Commission told the Delhi High Court, in a petition seeking preservation of poll footage, that 2024 Lok Sabha CCTV footage in Delhi "already stands destroyed" under the May 2025 instructions; the court passed no order on the application, as the instructions themselves were not under challenge. On what date was the footage destroyed, and had that petition been filed by then?

Receipts

2025-11-12

Election Commission tells Delhi High Court 2024 Lok Sabha CCTV footage in Delhi is destroyed

2025-11-12

Election Commission tells Delhi High Court 2024 Lok Sabha CCTV footage in Delhi is destroyed

As reported on 12 November 2025, in advocate Mehmood Pracha's petition seeking preservation of poll videography and CCTV footage, the Election Commission told Justice Mini Pushkarna of the Delhi High Court that the 2024 Lok Sabha footage was no longer with Delhi's District Election Officers and "already stands destroyed" under its 30 May 2025 instructions. Pracha said the instructions were issued to defeat his petition; the Commission's counsel disputed this, and the court passed no order on the application as the circular itself was not under challenge, listing the main petition for 13 February 2026.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

In January 2026 the Supreme Court issued notice on a challenge to Section 16 and declined to stay it; in September a two-judge bench split on sending the challenge to the selection law to a Constitution Bench. An application to recall that split verdict is pending.

Receipts

2026-01-12

Supreme Court issues notice on challenge to immunity clause for CEC and ECs, declines stay

2026-01-12

Supreme Court issues notice on challenge to immunity clause for CEC and ECs, declines stay

A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Union and the Election Commission on Lok Prahari's petition challenging Section 16 of the 2023 Act, which bars civil and criminal proceedings against serving and former CEC and ECs, to examine whether "this kind of immunity can be granted in terms of our constitutional scheme or not". The court declined the petitioner's request to stay the provision; the Union's and the Commission's replies were awaited.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

2026-09-23

Two-judge bench splits on referring 2023 election commissioners law to Constitution Bench

Hearing the Union's request in Jaya Thakur v. Union of India, Justice Dipankar Datta declined to refer the challenge to the CEC and EC appointment law to a larger bench, while Justice Satish Chandra Sharma held that the validity of Sections 6, 7 and 8 raised a substantial question of law for a Constitution Bench. Both judges directed that the papers be placed before the Chief Justice of India to consider constituting a Constitution Bench; the validity of the Act itself was not decided.

Source: Supreme Court Observerwww.scobserver.in Archived copy

2026-10-07

Application seeks recall of split verdict on election commissioners law; CJI says court will examine it

An application mentioned by Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan sought recall of the 23 September split verdict, stating that Justice Satish Chandra Sharma did not disclose during the hearings that his son is standing counsel for the Election Commission before the Madhya Pradesh High Court; the applicants said they were not alleging bias but that disclosure was required. CJI Surya Kant said, "We will examine and then take a call"; no response from the Union, the Commission or Justice Sharma was reported, and the application is pending.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

For the 2026 West Bengal election, webcasting was made mandatory in every polling booth, and the Commission said a re-poll would be considered wherever it was not conducted. With every booth webcast, how long was that footage kept for seats where no election petition was filed?

Receipts

2026-03-17

Webcasting made mandatory in all West Bengal booths; re-poll to be considered where absent

2026-03-17

Webcasting made mandatory in all West Bengal booths; re-poll to be considered where absent

For the 2026 West Bengal assembly election, webcasting was made mandatory in 100% of polling booths, and the Election Commission said a re-poll would be considered in any booth where webcasting was not conducted, All India Radio reported. Drones were to be used for the first time in the state, and a state-level control centre was set up at the Chief Electoral Officer's office.

Source: All India Radio (News On AIR)www.newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

On 30 April 2026 the Trinamool Congress said strongroom CCTV in Kolkata showed ballot boxes being opened; the Commission said postal ballots were being segregated as prescribed, and the state's Chief Electoral Officer said "No CCTV was turned off." On 5 May the Commission called Mamata Banerjee's allegations about Bhabanipur counting "baseless and false", denying that cameras were switched off. Was the footage of the 30 April segregation still held once the 45-day period had passed?

Receipts

2026-04-30

TMC says strongroom CCTV shows ballot boxes opened; EC says postal ballots were sorted

2026-04-30

TMC says strongroom CCTV shows ballot boxes opened; EC says postal ballots were sorted

A day after the final phase of polling, TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in at Kolkata's Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, and the party said live CCTV footage showed ballot boxes being opened without party representatives present, calling it "gross electoral fraud". The Election Commission said poll staff were segregating postal ballots in the corridor from 4 pm as prescribed, that candidates had been informed through returning officers by email, and that "all strongrooms containing polled EVMs are safely secured and sealed"; Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said "No CCTV was turned off."

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

2026-05-05

EC calls Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur counting charges baseless, denies CCTV was off

The Election Commission dismissed as "baseless and false" Mamata Banerjee's allegations about vote counting in Bhabanipur, where she lost to Suvendu Adhikari, All India Radio reported. A statement from the South Kolkata District Election Officer said counting followed the Commission's rules and that the allegation that CCTV cameras were switched off during counting was categorically denied, with the cameras operational throughout.

Source: All India Radio (News On AIR)newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

Chapter 3

The revision

How far did the revision of the rolls reach, and in how many phases?

In June 2025 the Commission began a Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's rolls that required listed electors to submit documents; two weeks later the Supreme Court let it proceed and urged it to also accept Aadhaar, ration cards and the elector photo identity card. Which documents did the revision accept before the Court's urging?

Receipts

2025-06-25

Election Commission begins Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral rolls

2025-06-25

Election Commission begins Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral rolls

The Election Commission began a Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar on 25 June 2025, an exercise requiring listed electors to submit documentation, ahead of the state assembly election.

Source: NewsOnAir (Prasar Bharati)www.newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

2025-07-10

Supreme Court allows the Bihar revision to proceed, urges wider document list

In Association for Democratic Reforms v. Election Commission of India, the Supreme Court on 10 July 2025 allowed the Bihar Special Intensive Revision to proceed while urging the Commission to also accept Aadhaar, ration card and the elector photo identity card among the documents for the exercise.

Source: Supreme Court Observerwww.scobserver.in Archived copy

The Bihar draft roll removed about 65 lakh names; the Court then directed that Aadhaar be accepted for inclusion, while clarifying that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship. How many of those 65 lakh were back on the roll by the final list?

Receipts

2025-08-01

Bihar roll revision removes about 65 lakh names in the draft roll

2025-08-01

Bihar roll revision removes about 65 lakh names in the draft roll

The Special Intensive Revision produced a draft electoral roll published on 1 August 2025 that removed about 65.62 lakh names from the roll used in the 2024 Lok Sabha election; under a Supreme Court interim order the Commission published the list of excluded electors with reasons.

Source: NewsOnAir (Prasar Bharati)www.newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

2025-08-14

Supreme Court directs Aadhaar be accepted in roll-revision inclusion

In Association for Democratic Reforms v. ECI, the Supreme Court directed that Aadhaar be accepted as an additional identity document for voters seeking inclusion in the revised rolls, while clarifying that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship.

Source: Supreme Court Observerwww.scobserver.in Archived copy

Bihar's final roll in September 2025 listed about 7.42 crore electors against 7.89 crore in June, after a further 3.66 lakh removals and 21.53 lakh additions.

Receipts

2025-09-30

Bihar final roll after SIR lists about 7.42 crore electors

2025-09-30

Bihar final roll after SIR lists about 7.42 crore electors

The Election Commission published Bihar's final electoral roll on 30 September 2025, listing about 7.42 crore electors against 7.89 crore on 24 June 2025. About 65 lakh names had been removed at the draft stage, leaving 7.24 crore on 1 August; a further 3.66 lakh ineligible electors were removed from the draft and 21.53 lakh eligible electors were added through Form 6, with the Commission stating that the figures were rounded to the nearest lakh.

Source: Press Information Bureauwww.pib.gov.in Archived copy

On 27 October 2025 the Chief Election Commissioner extended the revision to 12 States and Union Territories with 51 crore voters, with draft rolls due on 9 December and final rolls on 7 February 2026. In how many of the 12 was the final roll published on 7 February 2026?

Receipts

2025-10-27

ECI announces second SIR phase in 12 States and UTs covering 51 crore voters

2025-10-27

ECI announces second SIR phase in 12 States and UTs covering 51 crore voters

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced on 27 October 2025 that the Special Intensive Revision would extend to West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, covering 51 crore voters, with enumeration from 4 November to 4 December, draft rolls on 9 December and final rolls on 7 February 2026. He said no documents would be needed at enumeration and that Assam would have a separate revision.

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

West Bengal's draft roll listed 7,08,16,630 of 7,66,37,529 electors; 58,20,899 forms were recorded as not received, for death, absence or shifting, enrolment elsewhere and other reasons. A Trinamool MP then moved the Supreme Court against the deletions.

Receipts

2025-12-16

West Bengal draft roll under SIR removes 58,20,899 names

2025-12-16

West Bengal draft roll under SIR removes 58,20,899 names

The West Bengal draft electoral roll published on 16 December 2025 under the Special Intensive Revision listed 7,08,16,630 of the 7,66,37,529 electors on the roll as on 27 October 2025; the Chief Electoral Officer recorded 58,20,899 enumeration forms as not received. The CEO's breakdown was 24,16,852 deceased, 12,20,039 absent, 19,88,076 shifted, 1,38,328 already enrolled elsewhere and 57,604 others.

Source: Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengalceowestbengal.wb.gov.in Archived copy

2026-01-01

TMC MP moves Supreme Court over West Bengal roll deletions

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien moved the Supreme Court challenging the deletion of about 58 lakh voters from West Bengal's electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

Assam's Special Revision, a process distinct from the intensive revision in other states, deleted 10,56,291 names; The Tribune reported a draft roll of 2,51,09,754 electors, excluding 93,021 D-voters. All India Radio reported the February 2026 final roll at 2,49,58,139 electors, which it recorded as 2,43,485 fewer than a draft of 2,52,01,624. The two published draft figures differ by 91,870, or by 1,151 if the 93,021 D-voters are counted: which electors does each figure include?

Receipts

2025-12-27

Assam draft roll under Special Revision deletes 10,56,291 names

2025-12-27

Assam draft roll under Special Revision deletes 10,56,291 names

Assam's draft electoral roll under the Special Revision ordered by the Election Commission, a process distinct from the Special Intensive Revision run in other states, deleted 10,56,291 names: 4,78,992 for death, 5,23,680 for shifting and 53,619 for multiple entries. The draft listed 2,51,09,754 electors, excluding 93,021 D-voters.

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

2026-02-10

Assam final roll after Special Revision lists 2,49,58,139 electors

The Election Commission published Assam's final electoral roll under the Special Revision on 10 February 2026 for all 126 assembly constituencies, with 2,49,58,139 electors. This was 2,43,485 fewer than the 2,52,01,624 recorded in the draft roll.

Source: NewsOnAir (Prasar Bharati)newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

West Bengal's final roll came on 28 February 2026, listing 6,44,52,609 electors and marking 60,06,675 names "Under Adjudication". The second-phase schedule had set 7 February 2026 for final rolls; when was West Bengal's date moved to 28 February?

Receipts

2026-02-28

West Bengal final roll lists 6,44,52,609 electors, 60,06,675 under adjudication

2026-02-28

West Bengal final roll lists 6,44,52,609 electors, 60,06,675 under adjudication

The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal published the final roll under the Special Intensive Revision on 28 February 2026, recording an electorate of 6,44,52,609. From the draft of 7,08,16,630, it added 1,82,036 names through Form 6/6A and 6,671 through Form 8, deleted 5,46,053 through Form 7, and marked 60,06,675 names "Under Adjudication", to be added by supplementary list if approved by judicial officers.

Source: Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengalceowestbengal.wb.gov.in Archived copy

On 14 May 2026 the Commission announced a third phase in 16 States and three Union Territories with 36.7 crore voters, deferring Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh; nearly 59 crore electors had been covered in the first two phases. Across the phases, how many names left the rolls between the pre-revision roll and the final roll, state by state?

Receipts

2026-05-14

ECI announces third SIR phase in 16 States and 3 UTs covering 36.7 crore voters

2026-05-14

ECI announces third SIR phase in 16 States and 3 UTs covering 36.7 crore voters

The Election Commission announced on 14 May 2026 a third phase of the Special Intensive Revision in 16 States and three Union Territories with 36.7 crore voters, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Odisha, with final rolls due between September and December 2026. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were deferred, citing the Census and weather; nearly 59 crore electors had been covered in the first two phases.

Source: Scrollscroll.in Archived copy

2025-10-27

ECI announces second SIR phase in 12 States and UTs covering 51 crore voters

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

On 27 May 2026 the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Bihar revision, holding that a procedure different from routine roll revisions did not make it unconstitutional.

Receipts

2026-05-27

Supreme Court upholds the Bihar electoral-roll revision

2026-05-27

Supreme Court upholds the Bihar electoral-roll revision

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Bihar Special Intensive Revision, holding that adopting a procedure different from routine roll revisions did not render the exercise unconstitutional.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

Chapter 4

The rolls

How many names on the state rolls were removed, added or challenged, and by whom?

In June 2025 the Leader of the Opposition said 41 lakh voters were added in Maharashtra between the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly polls; the Commission called the charge "absurd" the same day and said the electorate grew 8.14% between the 2019 and 2024 assembly polls. By the Commission's count, how many names were added between the two 2024 polls?

Receipts

2025-06-07

Rahul Gandhi alleges 41 lakh voters added in Maharashtra in 2024; ECI replies

2025-06-07

Rahul Gandhi alleges 41 lakh voters added in Maharashtra in 2024; ECI replies

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged "match-fixing" in the 2024 Maharashtra election, saying 41 lakh voters were added to the rolls between the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the November 2024 assembly polls, against 31 lakh in the preceding five years. The Election Commission replied the same day that the charge was "absurd", stating that Maharashtra's electorate grew 8.14% from 8.97 crore to 9.70 crore between the 2019 and 2024 assembly polls, less than in Jharkhand (13.40%) or Telangana (16.16%), and that only 89 first appeals were filed after the roll was finalised.

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

Publishing Bihar's draft roll on 1 August 2025, which removed about 65 lakh names, the Commission gave its count by reason: 22.34 lakh electors found to be deceased, more than 36.28 lakh permanently shifted or not traced by booth-level officers, and over 7 lakh registered in two assembly constituencies. Of the 22.34 lakh left out as deceased, how many had a registered death on record, and how many rested on a booth-level officer's report alone?

Receipts

2025-08-01

Bihar roll revision removes about 65 lakh names in the draft roll

2025-08-01

Bihar roll revision removes about 65 lakh names in the draft roll

Source: NewsOnAir (Prasar Bharati)www.newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

2025-08-01

Bihar SIR draft: 22.34 lakh left out as deceased, more than 36.28 lakh as shifted or untraced

Publishing Bihar's draft roll on 1 August 2025, the Election Commission said that during the Special Intensive Revision 22.34 lakh electors had been found to be deceased, more than 36.28 lakh had permanently shifted or could not be traced by booth-level officers, and over 7 lakh were registered in two assembly constituencies. The details of over 7.89 crore electors were verified between 24 June and 25 July; more than 7.24 crore enumeration forms were submitted, and more than 65.62 lakh names were deleted from the roll used in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Source: NewsOnAir (Prasar Bharati)www.newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

Bihar Chief Electoral Officer records reported by the Hindustan Times put the names deleted from the draft roll at 3,66,742: 62,441 marked deceased, 2,12,999 shifted residence, 81,334 repeated entries, and 9,968 removed without death, relocation or duplication cited as the reason. All the deletions were made on Form 7, and on 7 October 2025 the Supreme Court had asked the Commission for information about them. On what ground was each of the 9,968 names removed?

Receipts

2025-10-13

Bihar CEO records: of 3,66,742 names removed after the draft, 9,968 carry no reason

2025-10-13

Bihar CEO records: of 3,66,742 names removed after the draft, 9,968 carry no reason

Records of Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer reported by the Hindustan Times showed that 3,66,742 names were deleted from the draft roll during the Special Intensive Revision: 62,441 marked as deceased, 2,12,999 as having shifted residence, 81,334 as repeated entries, and 9,968 removed without death, relocation or duplication cited as the reason. All the deletions were made on Form 7, which may cite death, permanent shifting, duplication, being under age or non-citizenship. On 7 October 2025 the Supreme Court had asked the Election Commission to furnish information about these deletions.

Source: Hindustan Timeswww.hindustantimes.com Archived copy

On 5 November 2025 the Leader of the Opposition said about 25 lakh entries on Haryana's rolls for the 2024 assembly election were duplicate, non-existent or manipulated. The Commission called the allegations baseless the same day, and Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer said the final rolls were distributed on 27 August 2024 and no appeals or second appeals were filed. How many of the about 25 lakh entries alleged on 5 November 2025 has the Commission checked against its roll?

Receipts

2025-11-05

Rahul Gandhi alleges 25 lakh fake entries in Haryana rolls; ECI calls it baseless

2025-11-05

Rahul Gandhi alleges 25 lakh fake entries in Haryana rolls; ECI calls it baseless

At a press conference on 5 November 2025, Rahul Gandhi said he had "100 per cent" proof that around 25 lakh voters on Haryana's rolls for the 2024 assembly election were duplicate, non-existent or manipulated. The Election Commission called the allegations baseless the same day and asked why the Congress's booth-level agents had raised no objections during the roll revision; Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer said the final rolls were distributed on 27 August 2024 and no appeals or second appeals were filed.

Source: The Tribunewww.tribuneindia.com Archived copy

Kerala's summary revision, whose final roll was published on 6 January 2025, removed 89,907 electors, including those who had died and those who had changed residence; the Chief Electoral Officer's press note did not separate the two. The intensive revision's draft of 23 December 2025 recorded 6,49,885 electors as deceased, 14,61,769 as shifted or absent and 1,36,029 as enrolled at multiple places. How many names did Kerala's earlier summary revisions remove on grounds of death, year by year?

Receipts

2025-01-06

Kerala summary revision removes 89,907 names, adds 63,564; final roll 2,78,10,942

2025-01-06

Kerala summary revision removes 89,907 names, adds 63,564; final roll 2,78,10,942

Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer published the final roll of the Special Summary Revision 2025 on 6 January 2025, with 1 January 2025 as the qualifying date, listing 2,78,10,942 electors against 2,78,37,285 in the draft roll published during the revision. The press note, in Malayalam, said 63,564 people were newly added and 89,907 electors, including those who had died and those who had changed residence, were removed in the roll purification process; it did not separate the two.

Source: Chief Electoral Officer, Keralawww.ceo.kerala.gov.in Archived copy

2025-12-23

Kerala SIR draft leaves out about 24 lakh: 6,49,885 as deceased, 14,61,769 as shifted or absent

Kerala's draft roll under the Special Intensive Revision, published on 23 December 2025, left out 8.65 per cent of electors, about 24 lakh, Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Kelkar said; of the 2,78,50,855 electors on the roll on 27 October, enumeration forms were collected from 2,54,42,352. According to the Election Commission's statement, 6,49,885 (2.33 per cent) were found to be deceased, 14,61,769 (5.25 per cent) shifted or absent and 1,36,029 (0.49 per cent) enrolled at multiple places.

Source: The Wirem.thewire.in Archived copy

As the second-phase drafts came out, the names recorded as deceased were 8.75 lakh in Rajasthan, 26,94,672 in Tamil Nadu, 18,07,278 in Gujarat, 8.46 lakh in Madhya Pradesh, 6,49,885 in Kerala and 46.23 lakh in Uttar Pradesh. Across the 12 States and Union Territories, 6.56 crore names were removed from the drafts: 4.64 crore owing to shifting, 1.46 crore due to death and 44.06 lakh because of multiple registrations. Has the Commission published one consolidated table of these deletions by reason, state by state and phase by phase, and if so, where?

Receipts

2025-12-16

Rajasthan SIR draft leaves out 41,84,819: 8.75 lakh as deceased, 29.6 lakh as shifted or absent

2025-12-16

Rajasthan SIR draft leaves out 41,84,819: 8.75 lakh as deceased, 29.6 lakh as shifted or absent

Rajasthan's draft roll under the Special Intensive Revision, published on 16 December 2025, listed 5,04,71,396 (92.34 per cent) of the 5,46,56,215 electors on the roll. Of the 41,84,819 left out, 8.75 lakh were recorded as deceased, 29.6 lakh as shifted or absent and 3.44 lakh as enrolled at multiple places.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

2025-12-19

Tamil Nadu SIR draft leaves out 97,37,831; 66,44,881 marked shifted or absent

Tamil Nadu's draft roll under the Special Intensive Revision, released on 19 December 2025, listed 5,43,76,755 electors, out of more than 6.4 crore before the revision. The Election Commission deleted 97,37,831 electors: according to its list, 26,94,672 were marked deceased, 66,44,881 shifted or absent from their addresses, and 3,98,278 enrolled at multiple places.

Source: Business Standardwww.business-standard.com Archived copy

2025-12-19

Gujarat SIR draft leaves out 73,73,327: 18,07,278 as deceased, 40,25,553 as permanently migrated

Gujarat's draft roll under the Special Intensive Revision, published on 19 December 2025, listed 4,34,70,109 electors against 5,08,43,436 before the revision. Of the 73,73,327 left out, 18,07,278 were recorded as deceased, 9,69,662 as absent, 40,25,553 as permanently migrated, 3,81,470 as registered at two places and 1,89,364 under other reasons.

Source: Gujarat Samacharenglish.gujaratsamachar.com Archived copy

2025-12-23

Madhya Pradesh SIR draft leaves out about 42 lakh; 31.51 lakh marked shifted or absent

Madhya Pradesh's draft roll under the Special Intensive Revision, published on 23 December 2025, left out about 42 lakh electors, 7.45 per cent; Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Jha said 5.31 crore of the 5.74 crore electors had submitted enumeration forms (5,31,31,983, 92.55 per cent). According to the Election Commission's statement, 31.51 lakh (5.49 per cent) were found shifted or absent, 8.46 lakh (1.47 per cent) deceased and 2.77 lakh (0.48 per cent) enrolled at multiple places.

Source: The Wirem.thewire.in Archived copy

2025-12-23

Kerala SIR draft leaves out about 24 lakh: 6,49,885 as deceased, 14,61,769 as shifted or absent

Source: The Wirem.thewire.in Archived copy

2026-01-06

UP SIR draft leaves out 2.89 crore: 46.23 lakh as dead, 2.17 crore as shifted, missing or absent

Uttar Pradesh's draft roll under the Special Intensive Revision, published on 6 January 2026, left 12.55 crore electors on the roll; 81.30 per cent of electors had filled the enumeration form. The remaining 18.70 per cent, about 2.89 crore, were not included: 2.17 crore had moved elsewhere or were missing or absent, 46.23 lakh were declared dead, and the names of 25.46 lakh duplicates were also to be removed, Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

2026-01-08

SIR Phase 2 drafts leave out 6.56 crore in 12 States and UTs: 4.64 crore for shifting, 1.46 crore for death

The names of 6.56 crore electors were removed from the draft rolls of nine States and three Union Territories published in the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision. Before the phase began on 4 November 2025 the 12 had 50.96 crore electors; the drafts listed 44.4 crore. Of the names removed, 4.64 crore were deleted owing to shifting, 1.46 crore due to death and 44.06 lakh because of multiple registrations; Election Commission officials said the names had been put in the absent, shifted and dead or duplicate category.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

On 15 February 2026 the Commission suspended seven Assistant Electoral Registration Officers in West Bengal, citing "serious misconduct, negligence of duty, and abuse of lawful authority" in the revision. The specific acts of each officer were not made public. How many electors' entries were affected by those acts?

Receipts

2026-02-15

ECI suspends seven Bengal AEROs over SIR irregularities

2026-02-15

ECI suspends seven Bengal AEROs over SIR irregularities

The Election Commission suspended seven Assistant Electoral Registration Officers in West Bengal, two from Canning Purba and one each from Suti, Maynaguri, Samsherganj, Debra and Farakka, writing to the Chief Secretary that "evidence has been found of serious misconduct, negligence of duty, and abuse of lawful authority" in the SIR, and ordered disciplinary proceedings. It separately told the state's Chief Electoral Officer to forward all SIR-related Form-7 objections to the EROs and AEROs to be resolved according to law, following a Supreme Court direction of 9 February. The specific acts of each officer were not made public.

Source: All India Radiowww.newsonair.gov.in Archived copy

Of the 60,06,675 names marked "Under Adjudication" on the final roll, judicial officers deleted 27,16,393. How many of the rest were added back by supplementary list?

Receipts

2026-02-28

West Bengal final roll lists 6,44,52,609 electors, 60,06,675 under adjudication

2026-02-28

West Bengal final roll lists 6,44,52,609 electors, 60,06,675 under adjudication

Source: Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengalceowestbengal.wb.gov.in Archived copy

2026-04-07

27,16,393 names deleted after judicial adjudication of Bengal roll cases

Judicial officers examining the 60,06,675 West Bengal electors marked "Under Adjudication" in the final roll deleted 27,16,393 of them, according to the Election Commission's final district-wise adjudication list reported by The Wire. With these deletions the roll stood nearly 89 lakh below its size before the Special Intensive Revision; appeals against the decisions lay before Appellate Tribunals set up on the Supreme Court's direction.

Source: The Wirem.thewire.in Archived copy

About 6.96 lakh voters were added through Form-6 before the polls, and the state's Chief Electoral Officer rebutted a Trinamool Congress allegation of improper additions. How were those 6.96 lakh split by age and gender, a break-up the Commission had not disclosed?

Receipts

2026-04-19

About seven lakh voters added to Bengal rolls before the 2026 polls

2026-04-19

About seven lakh voters added to Bengal rolls before the 2026 polls

Around 6.96 lakh new voters were added to West Bengal's electoral rolls through Form-6 applications between the 28 February 2026 final roll and the close of enrolment for the April 2026 assembly election, most of them in the final weeks; the Election Commission had not disclosed the age or gender break-up of the new electorate.

Source: The Telegraph (India)www.telegraphindia.com Archived copy

2026-04-20

TMC alleges improper Form-6 additions in Bengal; poll officer rebuts

Trinamool Congress leaders Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee alleged that bulk or improperly filed Form-6 applications had been used to enrol non-residents on West Bengal's rolls before the 2026 election, calling it "voter hijacking"; the state Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said a Form-6 can be filed only by the applicant and that applications were verified before inclusion.

Source: The Quintwww.thequint.com Archived copy

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put India's crude death rate at 6.4 per 1,000 population. For the ten states whose revisions appear in this episode it was 5.9 in Bihar, 5.8 in West Bengal, 4.5 in Delhi, 6.1 in Assam, 6.3 in Uttar Pradesh, 6.8 in Tamil Nadu, 6.2 in Gujarat, 6.7 in Madhya Pradesh, 5.8 in Rajasthan and 7.3 in Kerala. The National Statistical Office's survey for 2020-21 put the migration rate at 28.9 per cent of the population, counting as migrants those whose last usual place of residence differs from where they were enumerated. The scoreboard sets each state's rate beside its revision's deceased count. For each state, how many deaths of persons aged 18 and above did the Civil Registration System record between the last intensive revision and the present one, and how many deletions on grounds of death did the summary revisions make over the same years?

Receipts

2022-06-14

PLFS 2020-21: 28.9 per cent of Indians are migrants; marriage is the reason for over 71 per cent of them

2022-06-14

PLFS 2020-21: 28.9 per cent of Indians are migrants; marriage is the reason for over 71 per cent of them

The National Statistical Office's report Migration in India 2020-21, based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey for July 2020 to June 2021, defines migrants as those whose last usual place of residence, where they stayed six months or more, is different from the present place of enumeration. It put the migration rate at 28.9 per cent of the population: 26.5 per cent in rural and 34.9 per cent in urban areas. 87.5 per cent of migrants moved within the same state; marriage was the reason for more than 71 per cent of migrants, 4.8 per cent moved in search of employment or better employment, and 9.2 per cent because an earning member of the family or a parent moved.

Source: Factly (summarising NSO, MoSPI)factly.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Bihar's death rate is 5.9 per 1,000; 46.0 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Bihar's crude death rate at 5.9 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 2.6 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 60.7 per cent of the population, and 46.0 among those aged 60 and above, 7.8 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: West Bengal's death rate is 5.8 per 1,000; 38.9 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put West Bengal's crude death rate at 5.8 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 2.4 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 69.9 per cent of the population, and 38.9 among those aged 60 and above, 9.6 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Delhi's death rate is 4.5 per 1,000, the lowest among the bigger States and UTs

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Delhi's crude death rate at 4.5 per 1,000 population, the lowest among the bigger States and UTs, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 1.9 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 71.1 per cent of the population, and 37.2 among those aged 60 and above, 7.8 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Assam's death rate is 6.1 per 1,000; 43.0 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Assam's crude death rate at 6.1 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 3.2 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 67.1 per cent of the population, and 43.0 among those aged 60 and above, 7.6 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Uttar Pradesh's death rate is 6.3 per 1,000; 41.4 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Uttar Pradesh's crude death rate at 6.3 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 2.8 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 64.2 per cent of the population, and 41.4 among those aged 60 and above, 8.4 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Tamil Nadu's death rate is 6.8 per 1,000; 31.4 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Tamil Nadu's crude death rate at 6.8 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 3.2 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 67.8 per cent of the population, and 31.4 among those aged 60 and above, 14.2 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Gujarat's death rate is 6.2 per 1,000; 40.0 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Gujarat's crude death rate at 6.2 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 3.0 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 66.6 per cent of the population, and 40.0 among those aged 60 and above, 9.6 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Madhya Pradesh's death rate is 6.7 per 1,000; 43.4 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Madhya Pradesh's crude death rate at 6.7 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 3.1 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 64.1 per cent of the population, and 43.4 among those aged 60 and above, 8.5 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Rajasthan's death rate is 5.8 per 1,000; 37.3 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Rajasthan's crude death rate at 5.8 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 2.5 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 63.7 per cent of the population, and 37.3 among those aged 60 and above, 9.0 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

2026-05-20

SRS 2024: Kerala's death rate is 7.3 per 1,000; 38.1 among those aged 60 and above

The Registrar General's Sample Registration System report for 2024 put Kerala's crude death rate at 7.3 per 1,000 population, against 6.4 for India. The death rate was 2.1 per 1,000 among people aged 15 to 59, who made up 65.3 per cent of the population, and 38.1 among those aged 60 and above, 15.1 per cent of the population.

Source: Office of the Registrar General, Indiacensusindia.gov.in Archived copy

Delhi's summary revision final roll of January 2025 listed 1,55,24,858 electors; between 29 October and 28 November 2024 the office had received 69,177 objections seeking deletion and 83,825 applications for shifting of residence, and its statement did not give the number of names deleted or the reasons. Before the intensive revision's third phase Delhi had 1,45,10,299 registered voters, and 47,56,722 were left out of the draft roll. The Wire's count of the Election Commission's booth-wise list puts 31,59,223 (66.42 per cent) as permanently shifted, 11,73,552 (24.67 per cent) as untraceable or absent, 5.94 per cent as deceased and 2.98 per cent as duplicate registrations. Of the 31,59,223 marked permanently shifted, how many had ever filed Form 8 for a change of residence?

Receipts

2025-01-06

Delhi final roll after summary revision lists 1,55,24,858 electors

2025-01-06

Delhi final roll after summary revision lists 1,55,24,858 electors

Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer published the final roll of the Special Summary Revision with 1 January 2025 as the qualifying date, listing 1,55,24,858 electors, a net rise of 1,67,329 (1.09 per cent) over the draft of 29 October 2024. Between 29 October and 28 November the office received 1,35,089 applications for new registration (Form 6), 69,177 objections seeking deletion (Form 7) and 83,825 applications for shifting of residence (Form 8). The statement did not give the number of names deleted or the reasons.

Source: The Statesmanwww.thestatesman.com Archived copy

2026-09-03

Delhi SIR draft leaves out 47,56,722; two-thirds marked permanently shifted

Before the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision, Delhi had 1,45,10,299 registered voters; by 17 August 2026 booth-level officers had collected forms from 97,53,577 of them, and 47,56,722 were left out of the draft roll. An analysis by The Wire of the Election Commission's booth-wise list of those removed found 31,59,223 (66.42 per cent) marked permanently shifted, 11,73,552 (24.67 per cent) untraceable or absent, 5.94 per cent deceased and 2.98 per cent duplicate registrations.

Source: The Wirem.thewire.in Archived copy

By its affidavit of 16 September 2026, the Commission told the Supreme Court that 1,02,231 of 38,20,683 appeals had been disposed of; earlier RTI data showed 75,443 of 82,782 appeals decided by 7 August ended in inclusion. How many of the 1,02,231 disposed of were appeals against deletion?

Receipts

2026-08-24

RTI data before Supreme Court: 82,782 of 38,10,620 Bengal roll appeals decided

2026-08-24

RTI data before Supreme Court: 82,782 of 38,10,620 Bengal roll appeals decided

Data obtained under the RTI Act by MP Isha Khan Choudhury and placed before the Supreme Court on 24 August 2026 showed that, as of 7 August, 38,10,620 appeals had been filed before West Bengal's SIR Appellate Tribunals, 82,782 had been decided and 37,27,838 were pending. Of the 82,782 appeals decided by 7 August 2026, 75,443 resulted in the person's inclusion in the roll and 7,339 in exclusion; the data did not separate appeals against deletion from appeals against inclusion, and the Election Commission has not published that split.

Source: ThePrinttheprint.in Archived copy

2026-09-16

ECI tells Supreme Court 37,18,452 of 38,20,683 Bengal roll appeals are pending

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on 16 September 2026, the Election Commission stated that 38,20,683 appeals had been filed before the West Bengal SIR Appellate Tribunals, of which 1,02,231 had been disposed of and 37,18,452 remained pending. The Commission did not provide in that affidavit the break-up of appeals against exclusion and against inclusion that the Court had sought. A second Commission affidavit, filed in response to an application by TMC MP Derek O'Brien and reported by LiveLaw on 21 September 2026, gave the break-up: 22,21,118 appeals against exclusion and 16,10,311 against inclusion, of 38,31,429. It did not say who filed the appeals against inclusion, and no Commission explanation was reported as of 12 October 2026.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

A second Commission affidavit, filed on a Trinamool MP's application, gave the break-up: of 38,31,429 appeals, 22,21,118 were filed by voters whose names were deleted and 16,10,311 challenged the inclusion of voters. It did not say who filed the appeals against inclusion. Of the 16,10,311, how many were filed by election officials and how many by individuals?

Receipts

2026-09-16

ECI tells Supreme Court 16,10,311 Bengal appeals seek removal of included voters

2026-09-16

ECI tells Supreme Court 16,10,311 Bengal appeals seek removal of included voters

In an affidavit responding to an application by TMC MP Derek O'Brien, the Election Commission told the Supreme Court that of 38,31,429 appeals before West Bengal's SIR Appellate Tribunals, 22,21,118 were filed by voters whose names were deleted and 16,10,311 challenged the inclusion of voters; 37,05,235 were pending. The affidavit did not say who filed the appeals against inclusion; tribunal orders reported by The Wire record some as filed by the state's Additional Chief Electoral Officer. No Commission explanation of the filer was reported as of 12 October 2026.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

On 5 October 2026, after the Supreme Court said that "any modification to Form 6 has not been approved by us", the Leader of the Opposition posted that the Chief Election Commissioner had changed Form 6; the Commission called the post misleading the same day. It said the Bihar revision order of 24 June 2025 had its unanimous approval and was upheld by the Supreme Court, and that Form 6 itself was unchanged, with a separate declaration attached for the revision and later withdrawn from its portals. Who approved attaching that declaration, and on what date?

Receipts

2026-10-05

ECI calls Rahul Gandhi's post on Form 6 changes misleading

2026-10-05

ECI calls Rahul Gandhi's post on Form 6 changes misleading

After the Supreme Court said on 5 October 2026 that "any modification to Form 6 has not been approved by us", Rahul Gandhi posted that the Chief Election Commissioner had changed Form 6 "illegally and unilaterally". The Election Commission issued a "fact check" the same day calling the post misleading, saying the Bihar SIR order of 24 June 2025 had the Commission's unanimous approval and was upheld by the Supreme Court on 27 May 2026, and that Form 6 itself was unchanged, with a separate declaration attached for the SIR that was later withdrawn from its portals.

Source: The Times of Indiatimesofindia.indiatimes.com Archived copy

On 6 October 2026 West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer published the list of voters removed as absent, shifted, dead or duplicate, saying "any person in this list may submit Form 6 online or through BLO"; the office called a Trinamool MP's criticism "misleading". How many of the 58,20,899 names left out of the December 2025 draft roll have since been re-enrolled through Form 6?

Receipts

2026-10-06

Bengal CEO publishes SIR deletion list, invites those left out to apply on Form 6

2026-10-06

Bengal CEO publishes SIR deletion list, invites those left out to apply on Form 6

Under the Election Commission's 29 September instruction for a special enrolment drive in 20 States and Union Territories where the SIR had ended, the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's office published the list of voters removed under the absent, shifted, dead or duplicate categories and said "any person in this list may submit Form 6 online or through BLO". TMC MP Sagarika Ghose criticised the move; the CEO's office called her post "misleading". The note did not say whether the route applies to the 27 lakh electors found "not eligible" in judicial adjudication.

Source: Deccan Chroniclewww.deccanchronicle.com Archived copy

Chapter 5

The results

How did vote shares compare with seats, election by election?

The BJP won 240 of 543 seats and the Congress 99.

Receipts

2024-06-04

BJP wins 240 Lok Sabha seats with 36.56% vote share; Congress wins 99 with 21.19%

2024-06-04

BJP wins 240 Lok Sabha seats with 36.56% vote share; Congress wins 99 with 21.19%

Election Commission results for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, declared on 4 June 2024, gave the BJP 240 of 543 seats with 23,59,73,935 votes (36.56%) and the Indian National Congress 99 seats with 13,67,59,064 votes (21.19%). The Samajwadi Party won 37 seats, the Trinamool Congress 29, the DMK 22, the TDP 16 and the JD(U) 12.

Source: Election Commission of India (results portal)results.eci.gov.in Archived copy

The BJP won 78 of 147 seats and the BJD 51. With 40.07% against 40.22% of the vote, the BJP won 27 more seats, by our count. How were the two parties' votes spread across the 147 constituencies, and by what margins were the seats won?

Receipts

2024-06-04

BJP wins 78 of 147 Odisha seats with 40.07% vote share; BJD wins 51 with 40.22%

2024-06-04

BJP wins 78 of 147 Odisha seats with 40.07% vote share; BJD wins 51 with 40.22%

Election Commission results for the Odisha assembly, counted on 4 June 2024, gave the BJP 78 of 147 seats with 1,00,64,827 votes (40.07%) and the Biju Janata Dal 51 seats with 1,01,02,454 votes (40.22%). The Congress won 14 seats with 13.26%, the CPI(M) 1 and independents 3. The page notes that the final data for each constituency will be shared in Form 20.

Source: Election Commission of India (results portal)Archived copyOriginal page unavailable on 2026-10-13results.eci.gov.in

The BJP won 48 of 90 seats and the Congress 37. With 39.94% against 39.09% of the vote, what is the ratio between the vote-share gap and the seat gap?

Receipts

2024-10-08

BJP wins 48 of 90 Haryana seats with 39.94% vote share; Congress wins 37 with 39.09%

2024-10-08

BJP wins 48 of 90 Haryana seats with 39.94% vote share; Congress wins 37 with 39.09%

Election Commission results for the Haryana assembly, counted on 8 October 2024, gave the BJP 48 of 90 seats with 55,48,800 votes (39.94%) and the Indian National Congress 37 seats with 54,30,602 votes (39.09%). The INLD won 2 seats with 4.14% and independents won 3.

Source: Election Commission of India (results portal)Archived copyOriginal page unavailable on 2026-10-12results.eci.gov.in

Around the 2024 counts, opposition parties raised with the Commission the issues of postal ballots, EVM battery levels in Haryana and Maharashtra's roll additions. The Commission replied to each, calling the Haryana allegations baseless and the Maharashtra claims "misleading and factually incorrect".

Receipts

2024-06-03

INDIA bloc asks ECI to count postal ballots first; CEC says rules already require it

2024-06-03

INDIA bloc asks ECI to count postal ballots first; CEC says rules already require it

On 2 June 2024 an INDIA-bloc delegation led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi met the full Election Commission and asked that postal ballots be counted and declared before EVM results. At a press conference on 3 June, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said postal-ballot counting would start first at all centres under Rule 54A, with EVM counting beginning half an hour later, and that the process could not be changed mid-course; Singhvi said the Commission had agreed to the demand.

Source: The South Firstthesouthfirst.com Archived copy

2024-10-29

ECI rejects Congress complaints on EVM battery levels in Haryana count

After the 8 October 2024 Haryana result, the Congress submitted memoranda to the Election Commission alleging that EVMs showing 99% battery during counting favoured the BJP and asking that they be sealed. In a reply dated 29 October running to 1,642 pages, the Commission called the allegations baseless, said the battery display serves only to assist technical teams, and said every step was carried out in the presence of Congress candidates or agents.

Source: The Week (PTI)www.theweek.in Archived copy

2024-12-24

ECI replies to Congress letter on Maharashtra roll additions and turnout

In a letter dated 29 November 2024, the Congress alleged an increase of about 47 lakh voters on Maharashtra's rolls between July and November, 76 lakh votes cast in the last hour of polling, and that the ruling alliance won 47 of 50 constituencies with an average increase of 50,000 voters. The Election Commission replied on 24 December 2024 that the claims were "misleading and factually incorrect", that only six constituencies had additions above 50,000, that deletions averaged 2,779 electors per constituency, and that comparing 5 pm turnout with the final figure was a misconception.

Source: Scrollscroll.in Archived copy

In August 2025 the Leader of the Opposition alleged 1,00,250 irregular entries in Mahadevapura; the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer sought a signed declaration, and the Chief Election Commissioner said "Give an oath, or apologise to the nation." In September he alleged attempted deletions in Aland, which the Commission called "incorrect and baseless" the same day.

Receipts

2025-08-07

Rahul Gandhi alleges 1,00,250 irregular entries in Mahadevapura; Karnataka CEO seeks oath

2025-08-07

Rahul Gandhi alleges 1,00,250 irregular entries in Mahadevapura; Karnataka CEO seeks oath

At a press conference on 7 August 2025, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged 1,00,250 irregular entries in the Mahadevapura assembly segment of Bengaluru Central, listing 11,965 duplicate voters, 40,009 with invalid addresses, 10,454 bulk voters at single addresses, 4,132 with invalid photos and 33,692 cases of Form 6 misuse. The same day the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer wrote asking him to submit the names of the electors concerned with a signed declaration and oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, noting that false declarations are punishable.

Source: Scrollscroll.in Archived copy

2025-08-17

CEC asks Rahul Gandhi to file an affidavit within seven days or apologise

At a press conference on 17 August 2025, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar responded to Rahul Gandhi's "vote chori" allegations by saying "Give an oath, or apologise to the nation. There is no third option," and that if no affidavit was received within seven days the allegations would be treated as baseless.

Source: ThePrinttheprint.in Archived copy

2025-09-18

Rahul Gandhi alleges attempted voter deletions in Aland; ECI calls claims baseless

On 18 September 2025 Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner was withholding information sought by the Karnataka CID on attempts to delete around 6,000 voters in the Aland assembly constituency. The Election Commission said the same day that the allegations were "incorrect and baseless", that no vote can be deleted online by a member of the public, and that unsuccessful deletion attempts in Aland in 2023 had led to an FIR filed by the Commission itself; it did not respond to the claim that CID requests for data had been pending for 18 months.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

In Bihar in November 2025 the RJD polled the highest vote share, 23.00%, and won 25 seats; the BJP won 89 on 20.08% and the JD(U) 85 on 19.25%.

Receipts

2025-11-14

NDA parties together win 202 of 243 seats in Bihar assembly election

2025-11-14

NDA parties together win 202 of 243 seats in Bihar assembly election

Election Commission results of the 2025 Bihar assembly election, declared on 14 November, gave the BJP 89 seats on a 20.08% vote share, the JD(U) 85 on 19.25%, the LJP (Ram Vilas) 19 on 4.97%, the HAM(S) 5 and the RLM 4; summed, these NDA parties won 202 of 243 seats. The RJD won 25 seats with the highest vote share at 23.00% and the Congress 6 with 8.71%.

Source: Election Commission of India (results portal)results.eci.gov.in Archived copy

Of the 293 seats counted, the BJP won 207 and the Trinamool Congress 80. With 45.84% against 40.80% of the vote, what is the ratio between the vote-share gap and the seat gap?

Receipts

2026-05-04

BJP wins 207 of 293 counted West Bengal seats with 45.84% vote share

2026-05-04

BJP wins 207 of 293 counted West Bengal seats with 45.84% vote share

Election Commission results for 293 of West Bengal's 294 assembly seats, counted on 4 May 2026, gave the BJP 207 seats with 2,92,24,804 votes (45.84%) and the All India Trinamool Congress 80 seats with 2,60,13,377 votes (40.80%), a difference of 32,11,427 votes. The INC won 2 seats (2.97%), the CPI(M) 1 (4.45%), and the AJUP 2 and AISF 1; the Falta seat went to a repoll.

Source: Election Commission of India (results portal)results.eci.gov.in Archived copy

Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as West Bengal Chief Minister on 1 June 2026.

Receipts

2026-06-01

Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as West Bengal Chief Minister

2026-06-01

Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as West Bengal Chief Minister

After the BJP won the 2026 West Bengal assembly election, Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as Chief Minister on 1 June 2026, having defeated incumbent Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.

Source: NewsOnAir / Oneindia (election results)www.oneindia.com Archived copy

On 10 June 2026 a fire in a Kolkata government building destroyed about 4,000 EVMs used in the 2026 West Bengal election; an FIR was registered, and the cause was under investigation. Had any election petition been filed over the ten constituencies these machines came from?

Receipts

2026-06-10

Fire in a Kolkata government building destroys about 4,000 used EVMs

2026-06-10

Fire in a Kolkata government building destroys about 4,000 used EVMs

A fire that broke out on 10 June 2026 in a West Bengal government building in Kolkata destroyed about 4,000 EVMs from 10 assembly constituencies that had been used in the 2026 West Bengal election. An FIR was registered by 11 June and no cause had been established; a state minister raised the possibility of sabotage, and the cause was under investigation.

Source: Deccan Heraldwww.deccanherald.com Archived copy

Four days later The Telegraph reported that the machines had been kept on the ninth floor of Alipore's New Administrative Building in a sub-divisional officer's custody, under CCTV and armed guard, and that the CCTVs were destroyed in the fire; the 45-day period for election petitions after the 4 May results had not closed. Officials said a work order existed for IP cameras: were the cameras on the ninth floor IP cameras?

Receipts

2026-06-14

Burnt EVMs were in SDO custody under CCTV, inside 45-day petition window, report says

2026-06-14

Burnt EVMs were in SDO custody under CCTV, inside 45-day petition window, report says

The Telegraph reported that about 4,000 EVMs destroyed in the 10 June fire were stored on the ninth floor of Alipore's New Administrative Building under the custody of the Alipore Sadar sub-divisional officer, with CCTV and armed guards; the guards came downstairs when the fire broke out and the CCTVs were destroyed. The 45-day period after the 4 May results for filing election petitions had not closed; officials said the sealed VVPAT slips were stored at a different location, which they declined to disclose, and that they were checking whether the cameras were IP cameras and, if not, why IP cameras had not been installed despite a work order. No statement from the Election Commission or the state Chief Electoral Officer was reported.

Source: The Telegraphwww.telegraphindia.com Archived copy

On 23 June the Calcutta High Court admitted Mamata Banerjee's petition against the Bhabanipur result and ordered the EVMs, VVPATs and CCTV footage preserved; on 8 September, in a petition over the 2024 Arambagh result, it held that a pending petition does not justify keeping every EVM in a district, but refused blanket release of the Arambagh machines and told the officer to segregate them, prepare an inventory and record every movement. What record of segregation and movement existed for the machines on Alipore's ninth floor before 10 June?

Receipts

2026-06-23

Calcutta HC admits Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur poll petition, orders EVMs, CCTV preserved

2026-06-23

Calcutta HC admits Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur poll petition, orders EVMs, CCTV preserved

Justice Gaurang Kanth of the Calcutta High Court admitted Mamata Banerjee's election petition (EP/9/2026) challenging Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's election from Bhabanipur and directed the Election Commission, the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer and the Returning Officer to preserve the EVMs, VVPAT machines and CCTV footage, which "shall not be erased, overwritten, destroyed, tampered, redeployed, or opened in any manner without leave of this Court". The court held that CCTV footage may be lost to overwriting, and listed the matter after eight weeks; the Commission's stance was not reported.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

2026-09-08

Calcutta HC: pending election petition does not justify keeping every EVM in a district

On an application by Hooghly's District Election Officer in a pending petition over the 2024 Arambagh Lok Sabha result (EP/4/2024), Justice Ananya Bandyopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court held that pendency of an election petition does not mean every EVM or VVPAT in a district must be retained, but refused blanket release of the Arambagh machines. Machines from the challenged election may not be opened, repaired, substituted or redeployed without further orders, and the officer was told to segregate them, prepare an inventory and record every movement.

Source: LiveLawwww.livelaw.in Archived copy

A four-member Kolkata Police Special Investigation Team began work on 12 June; on 1 October, with officials saying the cause had not been established, Trinamool's Abhishek Banerjee said "nobody has been held accountable" and sought counting-centre CCTV from nearly 100 constituencies, and no reply from the Commission was reported. Under the 45-day rule, was counting-centre footage still held on 1 October for any of the nearly 100 constituencies other than those under an election petition?

Receipts

2026-06-12

Kolkata Police forms four-member SIT to probe Alipore fire that destroyed EVMs

2026-06-12

Kolkata Police forms four-member SIT to probe Alipore fire that destroyed EVMs

Kolkata Police constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team from its Detective Department, headed by Assistant Commissioner Sukhendu Mukhopadhyay, which began investigating the 10 June fire at the Alipore government building on 12 June 2026. The state fire services minister had said the day before that around 4,000 EVMs used in 10 constituencies were destroyed and that an FIR had been registered. No cause had been established.

Source: The Statesmanwww.thestatesman.com Archived copy

2026-10-01

Abhishek Banerjee says no one held to account for EVM fire, seeks CCTV of ~100 counts

TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said on 1 October 2026 that "nobody has been held accountable" for the June fire in Alipore that destroyed about 4,000 ballot units, control units and VVPATs, and asked the Election Commission to release counting-centre CCTV footage from nearly 100 constituencies, from noon to 8–9 pm. PTI reported that an FIR had been registered and an SIT formed, that officials said the cause had not been established, and carried no reply from the Commission or the Chief Electoral Officer.

Source: ThePrint (PTI)theprint.in Archived copy

The scoreboard

Vote shares are the Election Commission's, of valid votes including NOTA. "Removed" is the names left off each SIR draft roll (Bihar about 65.62 lakh, West Bengal 58,20,899); West Bengal later deleted 27,16,393 more names after adjudication. "added" is Form 6 additions between draft and final roll in Bihar and after the final roll in West Bengal.

The scoreboard
Contest	Seats	Vote share	Seats per point of share	The roll
Lok Sabha, 2024	BJP Congress	BJP Congress	9.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above	—
Odisha assembly, 2024	BJP BJD	BJP BJD	—	—
Haryana assembly, 2024	BJP Congress	BJP Congress	12.9 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above	—
Maharashtra assembly, 2024	BJP Shiv Sena	BJP Shiv Sena	5.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above	—
Bihar assembly, 2025	BJP JD(U)	BJP JD(U)	4.8 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above	Electors Removed from the roll Added to the roll Removed from the roll8.3%computed
West Bengal assembly, 2026	BJP Trinamool Congress	BJP Trinamool Congress	25.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above	Electors Removed from the roll Added to the roll Appeals filed Appeals pending Removed from the roll7.6%computed

Lok Sabha, 2024

BJP

Congress

9.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Odisha assembly, 2024

BJP

BJD

—

Haryana assembly, 2024

BJP

Congress

12.9 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Maharashtra assembly, 2024

BJP

Shiv Sena

5.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Bihar assembly, 2025

BJP

JD(U)

4.8 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Electors

Removed from the roll

Added to the roll

Removed from the roll

8.3%computed

West Bengal assembly, 2026

BJP

Trinamool Congress

25.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Electors

Removed from the roll

Added to the roll

Appeals filed

Appeals pending

Removed from the roll

7.6%computed

The revision by reason

Rates and expected deaths are computed here from the two cited figures. A crude death rate covers all ages; adult rates run higher, so the years shown are an upper bound.

The revision by reason
State / revision	Deceased	Shifted or absent	Enrolled elsewhere	Other	Total left out
Bihar SIR draft roll · 2025-08-01	28.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed	46.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed	8.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	83.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed
Deleted from the draft before the SIR final roll (electors: the draft) · 2025-09-30	0.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	2.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	1.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed	0.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed	5.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 4,66,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 4.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 4.6% of electors shifted or absentcomputed PLFS 2020-21 counts 28.9 per cent of Indians as migrants by last usual residence, a lifetime stock made up mostly of moves for marriage, not an annual rate, so it is not comparable with "shifted or absent". Of the 22.34 lakh left out as deceased, how many had a registered death on record, and how many rested on a booth-level officer's report alone?
West Bengal SIR draft roll; 12,20,039 recorded absent are not in any column · 2025-12-16	31.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed	25.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	1.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed	0.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed	76.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 4,44,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 5.4 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 2.6% of electors shifted or absentcomputed PLFS 2020-21 counts 28.9 per cent of Indians as migrants by last usual residence, a lifetime stock made up mostly of moves for marriage, not an annual rate, so it is not comparable with "shifted or absent". Of the 24,16,852 recorded as deceased, how many were matched against deaths registered in West Bengal?
Delhi SIR draft roll; 11,73,552 untraceable or absent are not in any column; deceased and duplicates given only as percentages · 2026-09-03	—	217.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	—	327.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 65,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 21.8% of electors shifted or absentcomputed PLFS 2020-21 counts 28.9 per cent of Indians as migrants by last usual residence, a lifetime stock made up mostly of moves for marriage, not an annual rate, so it is not comparable with "shifted or absent". With 5.94 per cent of the 47,56,722 marked deceased and 31,59,223 marked permanently shifted, how many of those 31,59,223 had ever filed Form 8 for a change of residence?
Assam Special Revision draft roll (electors: those listed on the draft) · 2025-12-27	19.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed	20.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	2.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	42.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 1,53,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 3.1 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 2.1% of electors shifted or absentcomputed Of the 4,78,992 names deleted for death, how many were matched against deaths registered in Assam?
Uttar Pradesh SIR draft roll (electors: the 12.55 crore left on the draft; the pre-revision count was not given) · 2026-01-06	36.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed	172.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	20.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	230.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 7,91,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 5.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 17.3% of electors shifted or absentcomputed PLFS 2020-21 counts 28.9 per cent of Indians as migrants by last usual residence, a lifetime stock made up mostly of moves for marriage, not an annual rate, so it is not comparable with "shifted or absent". What did the Commission say about how the 2.17 crore recorded as moved elsewhere, missing or absent were identified?
Tamil Nadu SIR draft roll · 2025-12-19	42.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed	103.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed	6.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	152.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 4,35,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 6.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 10.4% of electors shifted or absentcomputed How many of the 26,94,672 marked deceased were matched against Tamil Nadu's civil registration of deaths?
Gujarat SIR draft roll; shifted = permanently migrated; 9,69,662 recorded absent are not in any column · 2025-12-19	35.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed	79.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed	7.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed	3.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed	145.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 3,15,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 5.7 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 7.9% of electors shifted or absentcomputed How many of the 40,25,553 recorded as permanently migrated were found enrolled at a new address elsewhere?
Madhya Pradesh SIR draft roll · 2025-12-23	14.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed	54.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	4.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	73.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 3,85,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 2.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 5.5% of electors shifted or absentcomputed With 8.46 lakh recorded as deceased against the Registrar General's death rate above, how many deaths had Madhya Pradesh's summary revisions removed in the years before?
Rajasthan SIR draft roll · 2025-12-16	16.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed	54.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed	6.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	76.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 3,17,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 2.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 5.4% of electors shifted or absentcomputed How many of the 29.6 lakh recorded as shifted or absent were found enrolled at another address?
Kerala SIR draft roll · 2025-12-23	23.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed	52.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed	4.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	86.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed
Ordinary summary revision, deaths and moves together (electors: the draft) · 2025-01-06	—	—	—	—	3.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed
about 2,03,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed 3.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed 5.2% of electors shifted or absentcomputed Kerala's 2025 summary revision removed 89,907 names, deaths and moves together: how many of those were deaths?
12 States and UTs, SIR phase 2 SIR draft roll · 2026-01-08	28.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed	91.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed	8.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed	—	128.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed
Beyond the 6.56 crore removed in this phase, has the Commission published one table of SIR deletions by reason for all phases, and where?

Bihar

SIR draft roll · 2025-08-01

Electors

Deceased

28.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

46.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

8.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

83.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Deleted from the draft before the SIR final roll (electors: the draft) · 2025-09-30

Electors

Deceased

0.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

2.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

1.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

0.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Total left out

5.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 4,66,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

4.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

4.6% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

PLFS 2020-21 counts 28.9 per cent of Indians as migrants by last usual residence, a lifetime stock made up mostly of moves for marriage, not an annual rate, so it is not comparable with "shifted or absent".

Of the 22.34 lakh left out as deceased, how many had a registered death on record, and how many rested on a booth-level officer's report alone?

West Bengal

SIR draft roll; 12,20,039 recorded absent are not in any column · 2025-12-16

Electors

Deceased

31.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

25.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

1.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

0.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Total left out

76.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 4,44,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

5.4 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

2.6% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Of the 24,16,852 recorded as deceased, how many were matched against deaths registered in West Bengal?

Delhi

SIR draft roll; 11,73,552 untraceable or absent are not in any column; deceased and duplicates given only as percentages · 2026-09-03

Electors

Deceased

—

Shifted or absent

217.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

—

Other

—

Total left out

327.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 65,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

21.8% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

With 5.94 per cent of the 47,56,722 marked deceased and 31,59,223 marked permanently shifted, how many of those 31,59,223 had ever filed Form 8 for a change of residence?

Assam

Special Revision draft roll (electors: those listed on the draft) · 2025-12-27

Electors

Deceased

19.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

20.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

2.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

42.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 1,53,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

3.1 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

2.1% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Of the 4,78,992 names deleted for death, how many were matched against deaths registered in Assam?

Uttar Pradesh

SIR draft roll (electors: the 12.55 crore left on the draft; the pre-revision count was not given) · 2026-01-06

Electors

Deceased

36.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

172.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

20.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

230.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 7,91,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

5.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

17.3% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

What did the Commission say about how the 2.17 crore recorded as moved elsewhere, missing or absent were identified?

Tamil Nadu

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-19

Electors

Deceased

42.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

103.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

6.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

152.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 4,35,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

6.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

10.4% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

How many of the 26,94,672 marked deceased were matched against Tamil Nadu's civil registration of deaths?

Gujarat

SIR draft roll; shifted = permanently migrated; 9,69,662 recorded absent are not in any column · 2025-12-19

Electors

Deceased

35.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

79.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

7.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

3.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Total left out

145.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 3,15,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

5.7 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

7.9% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

How many of the 40,25,553 recorded as permanently migrated were found enrolled at a new address elsewhere?

Madhya Pradesh

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-23

Electors

Deceased

14.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

54.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

4.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

73.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 3,85,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

2.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

5.5% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

With 8.46 lakh recorded as deceased against the Registrar General's death rate above, how many deaths had Madhya Pradesh's summary revisions removed in the years before?

Rajasthan

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-16

Electors

Deceased

16.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

54.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

6.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

76.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 3,17,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

2.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

5.4% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

How many of the 29.6 lakh recorded as shifted or absent were found enrolled at another address?

Kerala

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-23

Electors

Deceased

23.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

52.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

4.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

86.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Ordinary summary revision, deaths and moves together (electors: the draft) · 2025-01-06

Electors

Deceased

—

Shifted or absent

—

Enrolled elsewhere

—

Other

—

Total left out

3.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 2,03,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

3.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

5.2% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Kerala's 2025 summary revision removed 89,907 names, deaths and moves together: how many of those were deaths?

12 States and UTs, SIR phase 2

SIR draft roll · 2026-01-08

Electors

Deceased

28.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Shifted or absent

91.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Enrolled elsewhere

8.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Other

—

Total left out

128.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Beyond the 6.56 crore removed in this phase, has the Commission published one table of SIR deletions by reason for all phases, and where?

Contest

Seats

Vote share

Seats per point of share

The roll

Lok Sabha, 2024

BJP

Congress

BJP

Congress

9.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

—

Odisha assembly, 2024

BJP

BJD

BJP

BJD

—

Haryana assembly, 2024

BJP

Congress

BJP

Congress

12.9 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

—

Maharashtra assembly, 2024

BJP

Shiv Sena

BJP

Shiv Sena

5.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

—

Bihar assembly, 2025

BJP

JD(U)

BJP

JD(U)

4.8 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Electors

Removed from the roll

Added to the roll

Removed from the roll8.3%computed

West Bengal assembly, 2026

BJP

Trinamool Congress

BJP

Trinamool Congress

25.2 seats per point of vote share, from the two figures above

Electors

Removed from the roll

Added to the roll

Appeals filed

Appeals pending

Removed from the roll7.6%computed

State / revision

Electors

Deceased

Shifted or absent

Enrolled elsewhere

Other

Total left out

Bihar

SIR draft roll · 2025-08-01

28.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

46.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

8.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

83.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Deleted from the draft before the SIR final roll (electors: the draft) · 2025-09-30

0.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

2.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

1.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

0.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

5.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 4,66,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

4.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

4.6% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Of the 22.34 lakh left out as deceased, how many had a registered death on record, and how many rested on a booth-level officer's report alone?

West Bengal

SIR draft roll; 12,20,039 recorded absent are not in any column · 2025-12-16

31.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

25.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

1.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

0.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

76.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 4,44,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

5.4 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

2.6% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Of the 24,16,852 recorded as deceased, how many were matched against deaths registered in West Bengal?

Delhi

SIR draft roll; 11,73,552 untraceable or absent are not in any column; deceased and duplicates given only as percentages · 2026-09-03

—

217.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

327.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 65,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

21.8% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

With 5.94 per cent of the 47,56,722 marked deceased and 31,59,223 marked permanently shifted, how many of those 31,59,223 had ever filed Form 8 for a change of residence?

Assam

Special Revision draft roll (electors: those listed on the draft) · 2025-12-27

19.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

20.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

2.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

42.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 1,53,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

3.1 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

2.1% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Of the 4,78,992 names deleted for death, how many were matched against deaths registered in Assam?

Uttar Pradesh

SIR draft roll (electors: the 12.55 crore left on the draft; the pre-revision count was not given) · 2026-01-06

36.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

172.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

20.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

230.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 7,91,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

5.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

17.3% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

What did the Commission say about how the 2.17 crore recorded as moved elsewhere, missing or absent were identified?

Tamil Nadu

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-19

42.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

103.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

6.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

152.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 4,35,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

6.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

10.4% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

How many of the 26,94,672 marked deceased were matched against Tamil Nadu's civil registration of deaths?

Gujarat

SIR draft roll; shifted = permanently migrated; 9,69,662 recorded absent are not in any column · 2025-12-19

35.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

79.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

7.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

3.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

145.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 3,15,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

5.7 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

7.9% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

How many of the 40,25,553 recorded as permanently migrated were found enrolled at a new address elsewhere?

Madhya Pradesh

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-23

14.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

54.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

4.8 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

73.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 3,85,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

2.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

5.5% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

With 8.46 lakh recorded as deceased against the Registrar General's death rate above, how many deaths had Madhya Pradesh's summary revisions removed in the years before?

Rajasthan

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-16

16.0 per 1,000 electorscomputed

54.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

6.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

76.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 3,17,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

2.8 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

5.4% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

How many of the 29.6 lakh recorded as shifted or absent were found enrolled at another address?

Kerala

SIR draft roll · 2025-12-23

23.3 per 1,000 electorscomputed

52.5 per 1,000 electorscomputed

4.9 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

86.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Ordinary summary revision, deaths and moves together (electors: the draft) · 2025-01-06

—

3.2 per 1,000 electorscomputed

about 2,03,000 deaths a year on this rollcomputed

3.2 years of deaths at that ratecomputed

5.2% of electors shifted or absentcomputed

Kerala's 2025 summary revision removed 89,907 names, deaths and moves together: how many of those were deaths?

12 States and UTs, SIR phase 2

SIR draft roll · 2026-01-08

28.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed

91.1 per 1,000 electorscomputed

8.6 per 1,000 electorscomputed

—

128.7 per 1,000 electorscomputed

Beyond the 6.56 crore removed in this phase, has the Commission published one table of SIR deletions by reason for all phases, and where?