SIR vs SSR: What is the ‘summary revision’ of the Election Commission’s new electoral roll? Key Data, Aadhaar Govt Voters Must Know | Today’s news

The Election Commission has announced the full schedule for the annual Special Summary Review (SSR), which gives voters a chance to get their names on the electoral roll. The announcement comes as the row over alleged irregularities in a particularly intensive review of the electoral roll refuses to die down.

What is a Special Summary Review (SSR)? How is it different from SIR? IN WHICH STATES WILL THIS SSR BE IMPLEMENTED? How can voters get their name on the list during the SSR process? Here is your guide:

What is a Special Summary Review (SSR)?

SSR is an annual exercise conducted by the EC to update the electoral roll.

Under Rule 25(1) RER 1960, there are the following types of review:

– Part intensive and part summary

According to the Electoral Commission, SSR of voter lists includes two main phases:

1. Pre-audit activities, which mainly include training of officials, door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLO) for identification of unenrolled eligible voters, identification of irregularities, removal of multiple/moved/dead voters, standardization of addresses, rationalization and modification of polling booths, updating of control charts, preparation of websites, integration of supplements and preparation of draft list.

2. Review activities: The revision itself begins with the publication of the draft voter list, explains the EC. By publishing the draft list of voters, the ERO will invite all eligible citizens to make claims and objections, and after processing these requests, the ERO will include/delete/correct the entries in the proper procedure.

Irregularities already identified by the BLO during pre-audit activities are also taken up for rectification during this period. All inclusions, deletions and corrections made during this period are updated in the electoral roll database and the electoral roll is finally published on the date as per the approved schedule.

Why is SSR performed?

The SSR is being conducted to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible person is included or left in the electoral roll, according to a note by the Election Commission.

This comes amid a controversy over SIR, which was first implemented in Bihar, just before the assembly elections in the state. Since then, SIR has been completed in many states. According to reports, more than 13 million voters were struck off the rolls across the country during the SIR.

Many activists, political parties and citizens complained that these eligible voters were also “left out” of the electoral roll.

How does SSR differ from SIR?

Under SIR, which stands for Special Intensive Revision, a new electoral roll is prepared through more intensive enumeration.

The enumeration forms are distributed to each of the existing voters and the BLOs undertake the enumeration process. Then, based on the duly submitted forms, a proposal sheet is prepared, followed by a process of complaints and objections.

This means that an existing record under SIR is not simply transferred as in SSR, Hindustan Times explained. An individual must follow the enumeration and verification process to ensure that their name is included in the revised list.

SSR is an annual exercise. While SSR uses last final throw uses SIR rolls 2002-04 as a baseline.

What’s the latest you need to know about SSR?

After the controversial SIR, the Election Commission has announced the SSR schedule in 17 states. The electoral body said: “The SSR is being conducted under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 with reference to January 1, 2027 (January 1, 2027) as the qualifying date.”

On October 15, the EC issued an order directing the Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) to publish an integrated draft list, invite complaints and objections and dispose of them before publishing the final list.

Full SSR schedule

The Electoral Commission has published the full schedule of the SSR exercise. The announcement states that the draft publication will be published on November 12, with a window for complaints and objections open between November 12 and December 11.

Liquidation of claims will be done by December 28 and the final voter list will be published on January 4, 2027.

The exercise is also seeking advance applications from people who become eligible on 1 April, 1 July and 1 October 2027.

Who can apply to be included in the list of voters under the SSR?

The Electoral Commission said that in order to ensure maximum youth/first-time voter participation, all prospective voters eligible on January 1, 2027 and those who become eligible on three consecutive qualifying dates – April 1, 2027, July 1, 2027 and October 1, 2027 – can also submit their advance registration applications.

The Electoral Commission further stated that the ERO will make every effort to receive applications from:

A. All non-enrolled eligible citizens (eligible on or before October 1, 2026)

b. All potential voters (eligible on January 1, 2027)

C. All Prospective Voters (Eligible on three consecutive dates ie April 1, July 1, October 1, 2027)

How can you get your names on the voter list under SSR?

Form 6 for inclusion among voters (How to fill out form 6)

Form 6A for listing a name by an overseas elector

Form 7 to objections to the proposed inclusion of a name/deletion of a name in the existing voter list

Form 8 for sorting, corrections and other specified changes.

The EC has invited voters to fill the forms online through Voter Service Portal (voters.eci.gov.in) or ECINET app. Such applications will be signed electronically by the voter based on E-sign with AADHAR support.

(Read: Form 6 Explained – How to Add Your Name to the Electoral Roll)

Does voter have to show Aadhaar number during SSR?

An applicant can ‘voluntarily’ provide the Aadhaar number in Form 6 and Form 8. No one can be denied inclusion in the electoral roll unless they submit their Aadhaar number.

“However, no application for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll will be rejected and no entries in the electoral roll will be deleted for the inability of an individual to provide or intimate the Aadhaar number,” the Election Commission said.

In which countries will SSR take place?

The SSR will take place as per EC notification in 17 states/UTs, including states where

legislative elections are held early next year. They are: Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

SSR will be announced later in States/UTs where SIR is ongoing or has just been completed: These states are: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Trikk, Trikk, NCT, Delpura, Delpura.

In the three states/UTs, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, where SIR has not been launched yet, the ramp revision plan will be notified in due course keeping in view their weather conditions, the Election Commission said.

How will the EC implement SSR?

The Election Commission said there would be no door-to-door visits to voters by the BLO as part of the “revision, which is a summary review in nature”.

After verification in the field, if new polling stations are required, they will be finalized by the precinct election officials after consultation with the political parties.

Assistance services will be established at the district/AK level to facilitate the registration of voters, especially migrants, vulnerable and marginalized voters.

Special rides and special camps will be organized.

The maximum limits for submission of Form 7 have been prescribed by the Election Commission vide its letter No. 23/Inst/2026-ERS dated 9 October 2026.