Voter-roll revision: why some Indian voters are trying to restore their names
Reuters reports that errors in electoral-roll revision have left some voters seeking corrections while the SIR process fuels protests.
Reuters reported on 20 October that India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has removed about 130 million names nationwide, including people listed as deceased or shifted. The Election Commission says duplicate and ineligible entries are being removed and that affected people can file claims and appeals.
What Reuters verified
Reuters documented the case of Delhi resident Kamta Prasad, who was listed as dead despite being alive. The report said 4.2 million Delhi voters were struck off in draft rolls published on 31 August. These figures describe the revision as reported by Reuters, not a final nationwide count of wrongful deletions.
The Election Commission's stated position is that people excluded in error can submit claims, supporting documents and appeals before rolls are finalised. Critics and opposition groups allege bias; the Election Commission and BJP deny that allegation. Those competing claims should not be presented as settled fact.
What voters can do
Check your name using the official voter-services channels, keep the application or reference number, and follow the relevant state election office's claim-and-objection process. Requirements can depend on the specific notice and stage of revision.
The central public-interest question is whether corrections are accessible, timely and transparent. The existence of protests shows the issue is contested; it does not by itself prove every disputed allegation.
Editorial note
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Frequently asked questions
Does the reported 130 million figure mean all those voters were wrongly removed?
No. It is the reported scale of removals; the reasons and individual cases differ, and disputes need case-by-case verification.