The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed 17 States and Union Territories to conduct a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls, using January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date.

The exercise has been ordered under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. It will cover electoral rolls in the following States and Union Territories:

  • Andaman and Nicobar Islands
  • Assam
  • Bihar
  • Chhattisgarh
  • Goa
  • Gujarat
  • Kerala
  • Lakshadweep
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Manipur
  • Puducherry
  • Punjab
  • Rajasthan
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Uttarakhand
  • West Bengal

What the order means

The SSR will apply across the listed jurisdictions, including Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Electoral roll revision is significant for voters because the exercise concerns the rolls used for elections, with January 1, 2027, serving as the qualifying date specified by the ECI.

The order identifies the legal basis for the revision as Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The announcement does not provide a separate timetable for every State or Union Territory included in the exercise.

The ECI has also indicated that the schedule for States and Union Territories where a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is currently under way, or was recently completed, will be announced later.

SIR-linked schedules pending

The Commission’s statement separates the general SSR direction from the timetable for areas affected by an ongoing or recently completed SIR. As a result, the schedule for those jurisdictions remains subject to a later announcement.

The available announcement does not specify which of the 17 listed jurisdictions fall into that category. It also does not provide dates for publication, claims, objections or finalisation of the revised rolls.

For voters in the covered States and Union Territories, the immediate development is the ECI’s decision to begin the SSR process with the stated qualifying date. Further details will depend on the schedules issued for the respective jurisdictions.

Conclusion

The ECI has ordered a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 17 States and Union Territories under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. January 1, 2027, is the qualifying date, while schedules linked to ongoing or recently completed SIR exercises will follow later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What has the Election Commission ordered?

The ECI has directed 17 States and Union Territories to conduct a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls.

Q. What is the qualifying date for the revision?

The qualifying date is January 1, 2027.

Q. Under which law has the revision been ordered?

The revision has been ordered under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Q. Is Uttarakhand included in the revision?

Yes. Uttarakhand is among the 17 States and Union Territories covered by the ECI’s direction.

Q. Is Uttar Pradesh included?

Yes. Uttar Pradesh is also included in the list of jurisdictions covered by the SSR order.

Q. When will the SIR-related schedule be announced?

The ECI has said the schedule for areas where SIR is ongoing or was recently completed will be announced later.