Mumbai, September 10 (Daily Kiran) : Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) clarified on Thursday that the recently published draft voter list under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program is not the final version. This statement comes in response to media reports suggesting that the number of voters listed in the draft is lower than the total votes cast during the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
In addressing these reports, the state CEO explained that the primary focus of the first phase of SIR-2026 was to verify the actual residence of voters. Consequently, individuals who could not be found at the addresses provided in their application forms were not included in the current draft voter list. It was emphasized that voters who are currently absent or have moved from their registered addresses but remain within Maharashtra can apply to register their names according to their current residence.
The names of deceased voters have been removed from the list. Additionally, the registration process for new voters who turn 18 after October 1, 2024, is still ongoing. Citizens whose names were omitted in the first phase due to prolonged absence or other reasons can still apply for voter registration.
The current phase of the SIR campaign is particularly focused on including new and previously omitted voters to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out. The entire SIR process is expected to be completed by early November.
The Chief Electoral Officer stressed that comparing the current draft voter list to previous figures based on the summary revision’s final list is misleading and incorrect. The CEO’s office stated that any valid comparison or analysis can only be conducted after the official final voter list is released. It urged all stakeholders, including media representatives and citizens, to wait for the official publication of the final voter list before drawing any conclusions about the voter count.
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