India Removes 6 Crore Voters in Special Electoral Revision

The Election Commission of India removed more than six crore names from provisional electoral rolls during the third phase of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The house-to-house verification exercise resulted in significant deletions across several regions, including 2.06 crore voters in Maharashtra (21.1%) and 47.7 lakh in Delhi (33%). Other notable reductions occurred in Karnataka (19%), Haryana (16%), and Andhra Pradesh (10.8%).

Officials attributed the exclusions to deceased voters, duplicate registrations, and those who were absent or relocated. In Maharashtra, urban centers saw the steepest declines, with Mumbai's electorate falling by 35% and Pune's by 31.6%. State Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam clarified that 17 lakh of these exclusions were duplicate entries retained elsewhere. In Andhra Pradesh, Additional Chief Electoral Officer S. Dilli Rao stated that notices were issued to all 44.28 lakh targeted voters to rule out apprehensions regarding the deletions.

Opposition leaders have condemned the process. Rahul Gandhi and Pawan Khera of the Indian National Congress accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of "vote theft" and rigging elections, alleging the deletions are a tactic to ensure victory at any cost. While the Supreme Court of India upheld the legality of the revision in May, it ruled that the commission cannot unilaterally determine Indian citizenship.

A window for filing claims and objections remains open until September 30. Final electoral rolls for Maharashtra and Delhi are scheduled for publication on November 4, 2026.