New Delhi – The Election Commission has announced that the SIR schedule extended by one week across 12 states and Union Territories, responding to concerns about tight timelines that were allegedly hindering voters and officials. The revised timeline comes amid growing Opposition criticism and uneven digitisation progress across various states, marking a significant development in India’s electoral preparation process.
Key Changes in Extended Timeline
With the SIR schedule extended, several critical deadlines have been pushed back to accommodate a more thorough verification process. The distribution of enumeration forms will now continue until December 11, replacing the previous deadline of December 4. Draft electoral rolls publication has been rescheduled from December 9 to December 16, while the period for filing claims and objections now extends until January 15, 2026.
Most significantly, the final voters’ list will be published on February 14, 2026, instead of the originally planned February 7. This week-long extension affects the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision covering nine states and three Union Territories, encompassing nearly half of India’s billion-strong electorate.
Election Commission’s Justification
According to poll panel functionaries, the SIR schedule extended primarily to ensure full transparency in the electoral process. An additional week has been allocated for Booth-Level Officers to share details of absent, shifted, deceased, and duplicate electors with Booth-Level Agents before preparing draft rolls.
“An additional week is being given for sharing details of absent, shifted, dead, and duplicate electors by the BLOs with the BLAs before preparing the draft rolls so as to ensure full transparency,” a poll panel functionary stated. Election Commission officials rejected Opposition charges, emphasizing that the extension provides adequate time for Booth-Level Agents to properly vet voter lists.
States and UTs Covered Under Revised Schedule
The SIR schedule extended applies to 12 regions where the second phase was launched on October 27. These include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal are scheduled for Assembly elections in 2026, making the revision particularly significant for these states.
Opposition Criticism and Demands
Despite the SIR schedule extended announcement, Opposition parties have mounted strong criticism against the Election Commission. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav argued that a one-week extension remains insufficient, highlighting that Booth-Level Officers are under immense pressure to meet deadlines, adversely affecting their physical and mental well-being.
“The EC has paid no attention to this logical and practical demand. It seems the Commission has become insensitive and unconcerned about the problems,” Yadav stated. He emphasized that the extension, while welcome, does not adequately address the ground realities faced by electoral officials.
The Trinamool Congress, which has linked 40 deaths in West Bengal to the exercise, said the revised schedule vindicated its position that the process was ill-conceived and hasty. Party vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar criticized the Election Commission for announcing the second phase in a hurry under alleged BJP instructions.
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari urged the poll panel to adopt the more extensive schedule used during the 2003 revision, suggesting that the current timeline remains inadequate for comprehensive voter verification.
BJP’s Response to Extension
The Bharatiya Janata Party defended the Election Commission’s decision, with Union minister Sukanta Majumdar stating that revising the SIR schedule extended falls within the poll panel’s jurisdiction. He characterized it as a procedural step to ensure the exercise is conducted in a foolproof manner, while alleging that opposition parties, particularly TMC, want to stall the process to benefit from infiltrators’ votes.
Ground-Level Concerns from BLOs
Even with the SIR schedule extended, Booth-Level Officers in West Bengal have called the announcement only a “partial victory.” Agitating BLOs maintain they require at least two to three more months to conduct the revision thoroughly and properly.
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“We need at least two more months, if not three, to do our job thoroughly,” stated one BLO who is a schoolteacher, requesting anonymity. This feedback suggests that the one-week extension may still be insufficient for comprehensive ground-level implementation.
Digitisation Progress Remains Uneven
The SIR schedule extended comes amid significant disparities in digitisation progress across states. While distribution of enumeration forms is nearly complete at 99.65% coverage across all 12 regions, digitisation rates vary considerably.
Uttar Pradesh, with over 150 million electors and the highest deployment of Booth-Level Officers, has digitised only 69.56% of forms. Kerala has achieved 81.19% digitisation, Gujarat stands at 85.96%, and Tamil Nadu has reached 87.64%. These uneven digitisation rates underscore the challenges in completing the revision within tight timelines.
Implications for 2026 Elections
With the SIR schedule extended and final rolls now published on February 14, states preparing for 2026 Assembly elections have more time for accurate voter list preparation. However, the political controversy surrounding the exercise continues, with transparency and adequate time for verification remaining contentious issues.
Conclusion
While the SIR schedule extended represents the Election Commission’s responsiveness to concerns, the debate over adequate timelines and proper implementation continues. As the revised deadlines approach, all stakeholders will monitor whether this extension sufficiently addresses the challenges of conducting India’s largest electoral roll revision exercise while maintaining transparency and accuracy.
