Jharkhand Congress seeks 15-day SIR voter roll deadline extension
Synopsis
With digitisation of voter enumeration forms stuck below 12% in major Jharkhand urban constituencies like Ranchi and Dhanbad, the state Congress has formally asked the Election Commission to push the SIR deadline from 29 July to 13 August — warning that thousands of eligible voters risk being left off the rolls if the pace does not change.
Key Takeaways
Jharkhand Congress submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission on 10 July seeking a 15-day extension to the SIR enumeration deadline.
The party wants the deadline extended from 29 July to 13 August 2025 .
Digitisation stands at just 4.14% in Ranchi, 4.78% in Dhanbad, and 8.48% in Hatia, according to the party.
The memorandum was received by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Subodh Kumar in the absence of CEO K.
The drive was submitted on the instructions of Jharkhand Congress in-charge K.
Raju and state President Keshav Mahto Kamlesh .
The Jharkhand unit of the Indian National Congress (INC) has formally urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to extend the deadline for submission of enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by 15 days, citing alarmingly slow digitisation progress in major urban Assembly constituencies across the state. The memorandum was submitted on Friday, 10 July at the Chief Electoral Office in Ranchi.
The Delegation and the Demand
A party delegation comprising state Congress General Secretary Suryakant Shukla, state General Secretary and Media Department Coordinator Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo, and Social Media Department Vice President Sanjay Kumar presented the memorandum at the Chief Electoral Office. In the absence of Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar, it was received by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Subodh Kumar.
The submission was made on the instructions of Jharkhand Congress in-charge K. Raju and state President Keshav Mahto Kamlesh.
How Far Behind Is the Digitisation Drive
The Congress pointed to specific constituency-level data to underscore its concern. According to the party, digitisation under the SIR drive — which runs from 30 June to 29 July — has so far covered only 4.14% of voters in Ranchi Assembly constituency, 8.48% in Hatia, 4.78% in Dhanbad, 5.96% in Jharia, and 11.56% in Bokaro.
These figures, the party argued, indicate that both the distribution of enumeration forms and their subsequent digitisation are progressing far below the pace required to meet the existing deadline. The shortfall is particularly acute in densely populated urban segments where voter counts are highest.
What the Congress Warned
In its memorandum, the Congress warned that if the process concludes within the current timeframe, a significant number of eligible voters may be unable to submit their forms in time and could consequently be excluded from the electoral rolls. The party characterised this as a threat to the integrity and comprehensiveness of the voter list.
The Congress has specifically requested that the final date for the enumeration phase be extended from 29 July to 13 August. According to the party, an additional 15 days would allow authorities to register all remaining eligible voters and produce a more complete and representative electoral roll.
Broader Context
The Special Intensive Revision exercise is a periodic process by which the Election Commission updates electoral rolls, adding new eligible voters and removing ineligible entries. Delays or gaps in the process — particularly in urban constituencies with large and mobile populations — have historically been a point of contention between political parties and election authorities. This is not the first time a party has flagged the pace of SIR-related digitisation; similar concerns were raised in previous revision cycles in other states.
The Election Commission is yet to respond publicly to the Congress memorandum. How the ECI responds to this request will be closely watched by opposition parties and voter rights advocates in Jharkhand ahead of future electoral cycles.
Point of View
Not a partisan claim. But the party's intervention also carries political subtext: urban voter rolls in Jharkhand have historically shaped close contests, and any exclusion disproportionately affects migrant and lower-income populations who are harder to enumerate. The Election Commission's response will be the real test — if it dismisses the request without addressing the data, it risks undermining confidence in the SIR process itself. A 15-day extension is a modest ask; the harder question is why digitisation in a month-long drive is still in single digits with less than three weeks remaining.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Jharkhand?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an Election Commission of India exercise to update voter rolls by enrolling new eligible voters and removing ineligible entries. In Jharkhand, the current SIR drive runs from 30 June to 29 July 2025.
Why is Jharkhand Congress seeking a 15-day extension?
The party says digitisation of enumeration forms has progressed to only 4–11% across major urban constituencies including Ranchi, Dhanbad, Hatia, Jharia, and Bokaro. It warns that eligible voters will miss the deadline if the process is not extended to 13 August.
Who submitted the memorandum and to whom?
A delegation led by state General Secretary Suryakant Shukla submitted the memorandum at the Chief Electoral Office in Ranchi on 10 July. It was received by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Subodh Kumar in the absence of CEO K. Ravi Kumar.
What deadline change is the Congress requesting?
The Congress has asked the Election Commission to extend the final date for the enumeration phase from 29 July to 13 August 2025 — an additional 15 days.
Has the Election Commission responded to the Congress memorandum?
As of 10 July, the Election Commission had not publicly responded to the memorandum. The ECI's decision on the extension request is awaited.
