New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the timeline for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Odisha, allowing voters to file claims and objections until August 19.

According to a notification issued by the Commission on July 31, the decision was taken after considering a request from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha.

“I am directed to refer to the Commission’s letter No. 23/2025-ERS (Vol. II) dated 14.05.2026 regarding the schedule of the Special Intensive Revision and to state that the Commission has considered your request made vide letter dated 30.07.2026 and has decided to revise the schedule of SIR,” the notification stated.

Under the revised schedule, the period for filing claims and objections has been extended from August 5 to August 19. The notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will now continue until September 17.

The final publication of the revised electoral rolls will take place on September 21.

The Commission has also directed the state authorities to publish the notification in an extraordinary issue of the State Gazette and send three copies to the ECI for official records.

“It is also requested to ensure wide publicity of the revised schedule,” the notification stated.

The Commission noted that the Special Intensive Revision was announced in 19 States and Union Territories through its communication dated May 14. In Odisha, the draft electoral roll was published on July 5, and the original period for filing claims and objections was scheduled from July 5 to August 4.

However, acting on the request of the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha, and exercising powers under the proviso to Rule 12 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the Commission decided to extend the deadline for filing claims and objections until August 19. The revision is being carried out with July 1, as the qualifying date.

The Special Intensive Revision is a nationwide exercise undertaken by the Election Commission to verify and update electoral rolls through house-to-house verification, pre-filled forms, and scrutiny of existing voter records.

The exercise aims to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls by removing the names of deceased, permanently shifted, duplicate, and non-citizen voters, while ensuring that all eligible citizens are included.

The nationwide SIR programme was announced on October 27, 2025, by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

In May, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the exercise, observing that it is consistent with the Representation of the People Act and supports the Election Commission’s constitutional responsibility to conduct free and fair elections.

–IANS

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