India's Election Commission Extends SIR Electoral Roll Schedule in Multiple States

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) timetable for electoral rolls in several states. In Telangana, the ruling Congress asked the state Chief Electoral Officer to extend the schedule, and the ECI responded by moving the house‑to‑house enumeration deadline from July 24 to August 3, with the final roll publication set for October 12. Similar extensions were announced for Punjab, Karnataka and Delhi, pushing final publication dates to mid‑October (October 12‑19) and extending door‑to‑door verification into early August.

In Karnataka, the Chief Electoral Officer reported that 13.96 lakh voters were flagged as absentee, shifted, duplicate or dead, and the draft rolls will be released on August 17 with claims and objections accepted until mid‑September. Delhi’s schedule was also shifted, with the final list now due on October 19. The ECI reviewed progress in Maharashtra’s Konkan region, directing officials to meet the remaining two‑week deadline despite recent heavy rainfall.

Across the states, Booth Level Officers have achieved near‑complete distribution of enumeration forms, with digitisation rates ranging from about 50 % to 55 %. Political leaders such as AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed the extensions, urging voters to submit completed forms promptly.