Andhra Pradesh CEO fast-tracks SIR-2026 hearings, 45 lakh voters deleted from rolls
Synopsis
Nearly 45 lakh names have been struck off Andhra Pradesh's electoral rolls under SIR-2026 — the largest voter-list cleanse in recent state history. With the claims window closing on 30 August and special campaign days announced, the CEO is racing to clear a massive backlog of hearings before the deadline.
Key Takeaways
Andhra Pradesh CEO Vivek Yadav on 13 August directed DEOs to fast-track disposal of SIR-2026 claims and objections.
Nearly 45 lakh voters have been deleted from the state's electoral rolls — 22.30 lakh shifted/absent, 15.22 lakh deceased, 7.37 lakh duplicate entries.
The ECI published the draft voter list on 31 July ; the claims and objections window runs until 30 August .
Special campaign days will be held on 22, 23, 29 and 30 August at all polling stations across the state.
Eligible voters can seek reinstatement using Form-6 with the prescribed declaration during the objection period.
Out of 4,16,27,694 electors, 3,71,38,182 (89.22%) submitted enumeration forms during the SIR period from 15 June to 24 July .
Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Vivek Yadav on Thursday, 13 August directed all District Election Officers to accelerate the disposal of claims and objections filed under the Special Intensive Revision 2026 (SIR-2026), in strict compliance with Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. The directive came as the state grapples with a sweeping revision that has seen nearly 45 lakh voters struck off the electoral rolls.
Review Meeting and Key Directives
Vivek Yadav, accompanied by Additional Chief Electoral Officer S. Dilli Rao, conducted a video conference with all District Collectors, District Election Officers (DEOs), Additional DEOs, and Deputy DEOs to assess the progress of SIR-2026. The CEO reviewed the full pipeline of revision activities — including generation and delivery of notices to electors with discrepancies, disposal of hearings, pendency of Book-a-Call with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and complaints received on the National Grievance Services Portal (NGSP).
He reiterated that all electoral registration processes and form disposals must be conducted thoroughly, transparently, and in complete accordance with statutory guidelines.
Special Campaign Days Announced
To assist voters, the CEO announced that special campaign days will be held on 22, 23, 29 and 30 August at all polling stations across Andhra Pradesh. On these days, Booth Level Officers along with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of political parties will be physically present to help citizens with voter roll verifications, form submissions, and guidance.
The CEO also urged all DEOs to give wide publicity to the enrolment of young voters aged 18–19 and to organise camps in colleges and educational institutions to facilitate their registration.
Scale of Deletions from Voter Rolls
The ECI published the draft voter list on 31 July, reflecting the outcome of the SIR conducted between 15 June and 24 July. Of the state's 4,16,27,694 registered electors, 3,71,38,182 — or 89.22 per cent — submitted their enumeration forms.
The 45 lakh deletions break down as follows: 22.30 lakh voters were found to have permanently shifted or were absent; 15.22 lakh were deceased; and 7.37 lakh were found enrolled at multiple locations. Electors enrolled at multiple places will be retained on the rolls at only one location.
How Genuine Voters Can Reclaim Their Place
The CEO clarified that legitimate electors whose names were removed can apply for reinstatement during the claims and objections period from 31 July to 30 August, using Form-6 along with the prescribed declaration form. This window is the primary recourse for voters who believe their deletion was erroneous.
With the campaign days approaching and the objection window closing on 30 August, electoral officials are under pressure to clear the backlog of pending cases before the deadline.
Point of View
And its legitimacy will hinge entirely on how fairly the claims period is administered. With just weeks left before the 30 August deadline, the backlog of hearings is a genuine risk: rushed disposals could exclude genuine voters, while lax scrutiny could reintroduce the very duplicates the exercise sought to remove. The announcement of special campaign days is a positive signal, but ground-level BLO capacity — and political party cooperation through BLAs — will determine whether the process holds up to scrutiny. The ECI will be watching, and so will opposition parties in a state where electoral rolls have historically been a flashpoint.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SIR-2026 in Andhra Pradesh?
SIR-2026, or Special Intensive Revision 2026, is a comprehensive revision of the electoral rolls conducted in Andhra Pradesh from 15 June to 24 July 2026. It involved door-to-door enumeration of electors to verify, update, and clean the voter list before the next electoral cycle.
Why have 45 lakh voters been deleted from the Andhra Pradesh voter list?
Nearly 45 lakh names were removed from the rolls following the SIR-2026 exercise. Of these, 22.30 lakh voters had permanently shifted or were found absent, 15.22 lakh were deceased, and 7.37 lakh were found enrolled at multiple locations, according to the Chief Electoral Officer.
How can deleted voters get their names restored?
Voters who believe their names were wrongly removed can file Form-6 along with the prescribed declaration form during the claims and objections period, which runs from 31 July to 30 August 2026. Booth Level Officers will be available at polling stations on special campaign days — 22, 23, 29 and 30 August — to assist with the process.
What are the special campaign days announced by the Andhra Pradesh CEO?
Special campaign days have been scheduled for 22, 23, 29 and 30 August 2026 at all polling stations across Andhra Pradesh. Booth Level Officers and Booth Level Agents of political parties will be present to help citizens verify their voter roll status, submit forms, and seek guidance.
What was the enumeration form submission rate during SIR-2026?
Out of 4,16,27,694 registered electors in Andhra Pradesh, a total of 3,71,38,182 submitted their enumeration forms, representing an 89.22 per cent completion rate. The SIR was conducted between 15 June and 24 July 2026.
