Mumbai, August 31: Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer S. Chokalingam clarified on Monday that during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 campaign, the 2.07 crore voters categorized as ‘uncollected enumeration forms’ have not been permanently removed from the voter list.
He stated that this figure represents 21.15 percent of Maharashtra’s total 9.78 crore voters and is excluded from the draft voter list, not an immediate deletion.
Chokalingam urged all voters to review the draft voter list. He emphasized not to focus solely on statewide statistics. Voters should check if their names are included and if their details are accurate. If a name is missing, applications should be made for inclusion. For any errors, requests for corrections should be submitted. In cases of removal-related issues, Form 6 should be submitted for re-inclusion. The draft list is not the final version, as a complete claims and objections process will occur before the final voter list is released.
Regarding classifications, Chokalingam explained that the 2.07 crore uncollected forms include 75.52 lakh absent or missing voters, 76.80 lakh permanently transferred voters, 34.81 lakh deceased voters, 17.63 lakh duplicate entries or voters registered elsewhere, and 2.23 lakh voters registered for other reasons.
Draft voter lists are being published on district collector websites for citizen verification, and copies are also provided to political party booth-level agents.
Emphasizing the multi-step nature of this process, he noted that 100% accuracy cannot be claimed at this stage. Booth-level officers (BLOs) are expected to visit voters’ homes at least once, and if they are not found, they may visit up to three times. Classifications are based on the results of these visits.
He clarified that ‘absent/untraceable’ means the person’s whereabouts are unknown; they may have moved or be unavailable. The ‘permanently transferred’ category is only applied when solid information confirms the transfer. The ‘deceased’ classification is based on official records, death certificates, or family reports. ‘Duplicate/registered elsewhere’ applies when a voter’s name is already registered in another constituency.
Provisional lists are being published, and BLOs have been instructed to verify information and assist eligible voters by collecting Form 6 or Form 8 as necessary.
Acknowledging practical challenges, Chokalingam admitted that some genuine voters may have been mistakenly categorized as uncollected forms. In urban areas, many residents return home only after 7:00 or 8:00 PM and are unavailable during regular working hours. Voting officials cannot work late into the night, especially since many are women, which creates operational hurdles.
He reiterated that there are multiple stages in this process, and full accuracy cannot be claimed during the draft phase. The list published on August 31 is merely a draft. If anyone notices an error, it can be corrected. It is not solely the responsibility of certain officials; every voter in the constituency must check and verify the draft.
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