In SIR Phase 2, 9 states/Union Territories polls down by Rs 17 Crore (8%) | India News

NEW DELHI: Nine of the 12 states covered under the Special Intensified Amendment (SIR) phase-2 have released their final electoral rolls (including six states on Saturday), with their electorate falling by 7.9 per cent to Rs 19.7 crore as compared to Rs 21.4 crore when the SIR was announced on October 27, 2025.Over 170 million voters have been omitted from the electoral rolls of nine states/Union Territories – Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Goa and Andaman and Nicobar Islands – due to SIR. The final electoral rolls for Gujarat, Puducherry and Lakshadweep were released earlier, while those for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Goa and Andaman and Nicobar were released on Saturday.Interestingly, the magnitude of the net voter decline at the end of the SIR varied from a steep 16.9% decline in Andaman and Nicobar and 13.4% in Gujarat to just 0.3% in Lakshadweep and 3.2% in Kerala. While four of the nine states/Union Territories had a net deletion rate higher than the overall average of 7.9%, the opposite was true for five States/Union Territories.Three states – West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu – are yet to announce the final electoral lists as part of the second phase of the SIR. While Tamil Nadu’s list will be announced on February 23, West Bengal’s schedule is February 28 and Uttar Pradesh’s schedule is April 10.Among the six states where the SIR ended, Gujarat had the highest net decline in voters since the start of the SIR, about 6.8 million people, or 13.4%. The number of voters in Chhattisgarh decreased by 11.8% and in Goa by 10.7%. The remaining three states saw slight declines: Kerala’s final voter turnout fell by 3.2%, Madhya Pradesh by 5.9% and Rajasthan by 5.7%.Among the Union Territories, only the Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw a net decline of 16.9% in the number of voters. Puducherry has 7.6% fewer voters than on October 27, 2025; Lakshadweep has a decline of just over 0.3%.While the first phase of the SIR completed last year was unique to Bihar, Assam has only undergone a special summary revision. Another 22 states and union territories are yet to conduct SIR. The EC recently said it may start the next phase of the SIR in April.