NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has extended the schedule of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls by one week across nine states and three Union Territories. The decision comes amid concerns raised by several opposition parties that the earlier deadlines were too tight for both citizens and officials conducting field work.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Commission confirmed that the distribution of enumeration forms will now continue until 11 December, instead of the earlier deadline of 4 December. The draft electoral rolls will be published on 16 December, replacing the previous date of 9 December. The final electoral rolls will now be released on 14 February 2026, a week later than the original schedule of 7 February. Officials familiar with the development said the revision was approved after internal consultations with chief electoral officers in the states and Union Territories where the exercise is under way. According to them, the extension will help ensure that all eligible voters are properly included and that field-level verification is completed without unnecessary pressure.
Opposition parties had recently voiced concerns that the earlier timeframe was creating difficulties for people attempting to submit forms and for ground staff managing verification duties. The Commission has not referred to these criticisms directly but has indicated that the revised schedule aims to support a more comprehensive and accurate revision process.
The Special Intensive Revision is an annual exercise overseen by the Election Commission to update and verify voter records ahead of forthcoming electoral cycles, ensuring that additions and corrections are fully captured.
