Guwahati, Nov 18 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, emphasized on Tuesday that the initiation of a detailed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls is dependent on the official announcement regarding the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He expects this crucial process to be completed by mid-next year.

His comments shed light on the delays in executing a thorough review of the voter list, which is considered essential to correct ongoing inaccuracies.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the current electoral rolls suffer from notable inconsistencies that threaten their credibility.

He identified specific problems, such as the inclusion of names of deceased persons, minors who cannot vote, and married women whose records need updates to reflect their current surnames or addresses. These issues, he noted, emphasize the pressing requirement for a systematic revision.

"The NRC has not yet been announced," Sarma stated, reiterating the necessity of this notification for the SIR to commence. "Once that is accomplished — hopefully by mid-next year — we can finally proceed with the Special Intensive Revision in Assam."

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister confirmed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed state officials to carry out a Special Summary Revision. This action is intended as an interim measure to identify and resolve the existing inaccuracies in the voter list before the larger NRC-related undertaking.

This announcement highlights the state government's commitment to enhancing the accuracy and reliability of Assam's electoral records.

On Monday, the Election Commission of India revealed that Assam will participate in a Special Revision of its electoral rolls, which is set to conclude with the release of the final voters’ list by February 10, 2026.

This decision aligns with the state's preparations for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections, where the precision of the electoral roll is a pivotal topic in political discussions within Assam.

Officials noted that the process mandated for Assam is neither a standard annual summary revision nor as comprehensive as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) executed recently in various other states.

It is positioned "somewhere in between," with the Election Commission choosing a more focused and refined verification approach.

Rather than relying on blank enumeration forms, booth-level officers will utilize pre-filled registers to confirm, correct, or update voter information, a strategy that the Commission believes will minimize errors and expedite the verification process.