In a significant administrative exercise with major political implications, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the electoral roll in Uttar Pradesh has been completed. The final draft of the voter list, set for release on December 31, 2025, reveals a substantial purification of the state's electoral database, with approximately 2.89 crore voters—nearly 18.7% of the earlier total of about 15.44 crore—being removed from the active rolls and placed in the "uncollectable" category.
The massive revision, aimed at creating a more accurate and updated voter list, has led to a notable reduction in voter counts across districts. The state capital, Lucknow, alone has seen a decrease of nearly 12 lakh voters from its earlier tally of around 40 lakh.
Breakdown of the 2.89 Crore "Uncollectable" Voters:
The data provides a detailed picture of why these names were excluded:
Permanent Shift: The largest chunk, about 1.25 crore voters, were removed after they themselves informed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) of having permanently relocated to other areas.
Deceased Voters: Names of approximately 45.95 lakh deceased voters have been struck off the list.
Duplicate Entries: The revision identified and eliminated around 23.59 lakh duplicate voter registrations.
Missing Voters: A significant number, nearly 84 lakh voters, were classified as "missing" during the verification process.
Form Non-Submission: About 9.57 lakh voters did not submit the required SIR forms for verification.
In Lucknow, where roughly 70% (about 28 lakh) of the electorate submitted their forms, the removal of 12 lakh names includes an estimated 5.36 lakh duplicate entries.
Constituency-Wide Participation Varied:
The SIR process saw varying levels of public participation across Lucknow's nine assembly constituencies. Malihabad and Mohanlalganj led with the highest form submission rates at 83% each, followed by Bakshi Ka Talab (78%). Other constituencies recorded lower rates: Lucknow West (70%), Sarojini Nagar (69%), Lucknow Central (65%), Lucknow East (63%), Lucknow North (62%), and Lucknow Cantonment (61%).
Next Steps in the Electoral Process:
With the SIR process complete, the draft electoral roll will be published on December 31, 2025. A window for claims and objections will remain open from December 31, 2025, to January 30, 2026. The final, conclusive voter list for Uttar Pradesh will be published on February 28, 2026.
Political Storm Erupts:
The scale of the revision has ignited a political firestorm. Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav has launched a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming the exercise has caused internal discord within the BJP ranks.
Taking to social media platform X, Yadav alleged that the leak of information regarding the removal of 2.89 crore voters has "unsettled" the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. He asserted, "According to the UP Chief Minister, with one year remaining, 85-90% of those deleted are his own voters."
Yadav linked purported internal rebellion within the UP BJP to this revision, stating, "In the UP BJP, the cause of the internal uproar may superficially be some rebel meeting, but the real reason is that this news has already spread among BJP MLAs."
The state election officials have maintained that the SIR is a routine, non-partisan process mandated to ensure the integrity of the electoral roll by removing inaccuracies. However, the sheer magnitude of the changes ensures that the final voter list will be a central point of political scrutiny and debate in the run-up to future elections in India's most populous state.
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