Electoral roll revision drive kicks off in Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim; draft rolls due July 5
Synopsis
The Election Commission of India has put 2,956 Booth Level Officers on the ground across Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim to clean up voter rolls — removing dead, duplicate, and shifted names while adding newly eligible voters. With draft rolls due on 5 July, this is the most visible pre-election housekeeping exercise across seven Northeastern states since Assam completed its own revision earlier this year.
Key Takeaways
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) began house-to-house visits in Manipur , Mizoram , and Sikkim on 31 May 2025 as part of the ECI's Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The field exercise runs until 28 June 2025 ; draft electoral rolls will be published on 5 July 2025 .
1 July 2025 is the qualifying date for voter eligibility under the SIR in these three states.
Manipur has deployed 2,956 BLOs ; no documents will be collected from electors during the enumeration phase.
The SIR is part of a Phase-III nationwide exercise covering 16 states and 3 Union Territories , announced on 14 May 2025 .
Assam has already completed its revision, with final rolls published on 10 February 2025 covering all 126 Assembly constituencies .
The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim on Saturday, 31 May 2025, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) beginning house-to-house visits across the three Northeastern states. Draft electoral rolls are scheduled for publication on 5 July 2025, with 1 July fixed as the qualifying date for voter eligibility under the exercise.
How the Drive Will Work
The month-long field exercise will run until 28 June 2025. BLOs are distributing partially filled Enumeration Forms, in duplicate, to all existing electors at their doorsteps. Electors are required to verify and update details about themselves or their relatives, retaining one copy of the completed form. Importantly, no supporting documents will be collected from voters during this phase.
Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Arun Kumar Sinha confirmed that a total of 2,956 BLOs have been deployed across the state for the enumeration drive. He noted that electors may also download the Enumeration Form and submit it online via the ECI portal, offering a digital alternative to the door-to-door process.
Key Objectives of the Revision
According to a statement issued by election authorities in Sikkim, the SIR aims to ensure the inclusion of all eligible citizens, remove names of deceased, shifted, and duplicate electors, rectify errors in voter information, and maintain the accuracy and transparency of the electoral database. Political parties, through their Booth Level Agents (BLAs), are also participating in the exercise to promote transparency and wider public participation.
ECI's Directions to Officials
Ahead of the field launch, ECI Secretary Binod Kumar held a preparatory meeting in Aizawl with district election officers, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), supervisors, and BLOs. Kumar described the exercise as carrying nationwide significance and urged all officials to perform their responsibilities diligently, sincerely, and transparently.
He directed that Enumeration Forms be distributed within five days and issued detailed procedural guidelines. Kumar also emphasised that the meeting's purpose was not merely to assess readiness but to address doubts, clarify procedures, and resolve on-ground challenges faced by officials.
Broader Rollout Across the Northeast
The SIR in these three states is part of a larger Phase-III nationwide exercise announced by the ECI on 14 May 2025, covering 16 states and 3 Union Territories. Of the eight Northeastern states, seven — Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura — are included in the current phased rollout. Assam has already completed its Special Revision; the ECI published final electoral rolls for all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam on 10 February 2025, ahead of the state's upcoming elections.
With BLOs now in the field and a firm publication deadline of 5 July, the focus shifts to ensuring complete household coverage and accurate data collection before the draft rolls go public.
Point of View
But it also means accuracy depends entirely on elector self-reporting, which has historically been uneven in remote constituencies. Assam's early completion sets a benchmark, but the real test is whether the door-to-door coverage in hilly, sparsely populated districts of Sikkim and Mizoram matches urban enumeration rates. The digital upload option is a welcome addition, though its uptake in low-connectivity areas remains an open question.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an Election Commission of India exercise to update voter lists by adding eligible new voters, removing deceased or duplicate entries, and correcting errors. In the current phase, it covers 16 states and 3 Union Territories, with Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim among the states where the drive began on 31 May 2025.
When will the draft electoral rolls be published in Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim?
Draft electoral rolls for all three states are scheduled for publication on 5 July 2025, following the completion of house-to-house visits by 28 June. The qualifying date for voter eligibility is 1 July 2025.
What do electors need to do during the SIR exercise?
Electors must fill in the Enumeration Form distributed by Booth Level Officers, verify their details and those of relatives, and retain one copy. No documents need to be submitted to BLOs. Electors can also download the form and upload it online through the ECI portal.
Which Northeastern states are covered under the current SIR phase?
Seven of the eight Northeastern states are included: Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura. Assam has already completed its revision, with final rolls published on 10 February 2025 for all 126 Assembly constituencies.
How many officials are deployed for the SIR in Manipur?
Manipur has deployed 2,956 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the house-to-house enumeration drive, which runs from 31 May to 28 June 2025. All BLOs received district-level training before the field exercise began.
