Bhubaneswar, May 15: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, R.S. Gopalan, announced on Friday that the voter list revision (SVR) will commence on May 20, 2026. The eligibility date for including new voters has been set for July 1.
In a media briefing, the CEO stated that all eligible citizens who turn 18 by July 1, 2026, and meet other necessary criteria will be included in the voter list during the revision process.
According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, preparatory activities, including training programs and printing work, will take place from May 20 to May 29. Verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will begin on May 30 and continue until June 28.
The rationalization of polling stations is also expected to be completed by June 28. The draft voter list will be published on July 5. The period for filing claims and objections is set from July 5 to August 4, while the resolution of these claims and objections will continue until September 2.
The final voter list will be published on September 6. The CEO noted that after the completion of the SVR process, the number of polling stations across the state will increase to 45,255, with the addition of 7,132 new centers. Each center is expected to serve approximately 1,200 voters. Around 45,255 Booth Level Officers will be engaged in electoral management activities.
Gopalan mentioned that seven recognized political parties have appointed 27,723 booth-level agents across the state and urged the parties to appoint agents for the remaining booths. He further reported that over 3.34 crore voters are currently registered in Odisha’s voter list, with 94.61 percent of voter mapping already completed.
The CEO also informed the media that approximately 900,000 voters’ names have been marked for removal from the list during the pre-SVR process.
Regarding the removal of names from the voter list, Gopalan stated that around 900,000 names have been identified for deletion since the start of the revision process. He added that all ineligible individuals, including foreign nationals and those not qualified to remain on the voter list, will be removed in accordance with the law.
Leave a Comment