UP draft voter list to be released after SIR, up to 28.9 million names may be deleted
Election Commission to publish draft electoral roll on January 6, urges voters to verify entries as large-scale deletions are expected across Uttar Pradesh
After the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Uttar Pradesh, the draft electoral roll will be released on Tuesday (January 6). According to estimates, nearly 28.9 million names could be removed from the earlier list of 154.4 million registered voters.
The draft list was earlier scheduled to be released on December 31, but the deadline was extended to January 6. The list will be available on the Election Commission’s website, and hard copies will also be provided to all political parties.
Mass deletions likely statewide
To ensure transparency, details will be uploaded on the Election Commission of India (ECI) website, allowing voters to check their names and particulars. According to Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa, the change was made to ensure greater accuracy and transparency in the electoral roll.
Also Read: UP SIR exercise: Electoral roll draft on January 6, final list March 6
During the SIR process, a large number of names are expected to be removed from the voter list across the state. As per estimates, out of the 154.4 million voters in the earlier list, around 28.9 million names could be deleted. The draft list is expected to include about 125.5 million voters. The categories identified for deletion under the SIR include relocation (shifting), duplicate entries, and absent or untraceable voters.
Even before the release of the draft, estimates suggesting that voters with duplicate names have had their names removed from urban electoral rolls have triggered political controversy. The highest number of deletions is expected in major cities such as Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Kanpur, and Meerut. However, the actual figures will be known only after the draft electoral roll is published.
EC asks voters to check draft list
The Election Commission has appealed to voters to immediately check their entries once the draft list is released and submit necessary claims or objections, along with supporting documents, if required.
Also Read: UP voter roll deadline extended as 4 crore names face re-examination
According to information available, the draft electoral roll will also be shared with all recognised political parties.
(This article was originally published in The Federal Desh)
