The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was conducted in Kerala under strict deadlines due to the southern state’s alignment with the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
Extensions for SIR
The Hindustan Times further reports that multiple extensions have been given for SIR of electoral rolls across states and Union Territories. 12 states/UT received a one-week pan-India extension, creating a new deadline of 11 December, 2025. These states included Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Andaman & Nicobar Island were granted state-specific revised schedules. Meanwhile, Goa, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, Puducherry, and West Bengal also got more extensions for claims and objections. The new date given to them was January 19, 2026.
The initial absence of deadline extensions affected the involvement of Booth Level Agents (BLAs), who are appointed by political parties to assist in linking voters to legacy electoral rolls. As the availability of BLAs was low, the fieldwork was mostly carried out by BLOs and anganwadi workers. However, the anganwadi staff faced significant challenges with digital uploads, resulting in the creation of support camps with student volunteers and increased field-level supervision.
Kelkar, however, said the suicide of a BLO on November 17 marked a “turning point,” altering how field staff perceived their roles. “The first BLO death in Kerala was a turning point. That caused shock within the system and changed how field staff viewed their responsibilities,” he said.
“If you are eligible, you will be on the electoral roll. The SIR reflects the need for rolls to keep pace with migration and mobility while adhering to verification rules.”
