The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 22 states and Union Territories, including Tripura, to complete preparatory work for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls slated to begin in April 2026.
In official communications sent to CEOs of states and UTs such as Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, NCT of Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and others, the Commission referred to its order dated June 24, 2025, mandating the SIR exercise nationwide.
The Commission noted that, following its June directive, it had on July 5, 2025, asked all CEOs—except Bihar—to initiate pre-revision activities. Subsequently, on October 27, 2025, the SIR was formally announced in 12 states and Union Territories, where the revision process is currently underway.
For the remaining states and UTs, including Tripura, the SIR is expected to commence from April 2026. The ECI has emphasized that preparatory arrangements, including logistical planning, staff deployment, and public awareness measures, should be completed well in advance to ensure a smooth and transparent revision process.
The Special Intensive Revision is a comprehensive exercise aimed at updating electoral rolls by including eligible voters, removing ineligible entries, and correcting discrepancies. However, the initiative has drawn criticism from opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress and some regional allies, who have termed the exercise arbitrary and politically motivated in certain states.
With the process already underway in several regions, attention now turns to how the rollout in Tripura and other states from April 2026 will unfold, and whether it triggers similar political debate.
