The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to publish the draft electoral roll for Tamil Nadu and Gujarat today, marking a key milestone in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. With this, the large-scale voter verification drive in Tamil Nadu formally reaches its conclusion.
Once released, the draft roll will be available on the ECI’s official website, allowing voters to check whether their names and details have been correctly included. In Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik is scheduled to brief the media later this afternoon on the publication of the integrated draft electoral roll.
What Changes in the Revised Draft Electoral Roll?
The newly prepared draft roll reflects the core objective of the SIR: ensuring accuracy and credibility in voter data. As part of this process, names of individuals found to be deceased, untraceable, permanently shifted, already enrolled elsewhere, or otherwise ineligible have been removed.
In practical terms, the updated electoral roll for Tamil Nadu will include only those voters who are currently residing in the state and are confirmed Indian citizens. The exercise is designed to eliminate duplicate entries and ensure that the voter list mirrors the present demographic reality.
SIR Timeline: Extensions After Field-Level Challenges
The SIR was initially announced in October, covering nine states and three union territories, with a one-month enumeration period planned at the outset. However, the timeline had to be revisited.
Following reports of booth-level officers’ deaths and widespread protests over the intense workload, the Election Commission extended the enumeration phase twice. These adjustments were made to address operational challenges and ensure the process was carried out thoroughly.
Originally, enumeration was scheduled to conclude on December 4, with the draft roll expected on December 11. This timeline was later revised for five states and one union territory.
Updated Schedule Across States and Union Territories
Under the revised plan, the enumeration period for Goa, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan and West Bengal concluded on December 11. As per the updated schedule, the draft electoral rolls for Gujarat and Tamil Nadu were fixed for publication on December 19.
Kerala followed a separate timeline. Its enumeration period ended on Thursday, and the state’s draft electoral roll is now set to be released on December 23.
What If Your Name Is Missing from the Draft Roll?
It is important to note that today’s publication is only the draft version of the electoral roll. The Election Commission has provided a one-month window for voters to raise objections or request corrections.
If a voter finds an error in personal details, or discovers that their name, or that of a family member or relative, is missing, they can file an objection. Complaints may be submitted to the booth-level officer, the district collector, or the Chief Electoral Officer’s office.
The objection and appeal period will run from December 19 to January 18, 2026. The ECI will hear these cases until January 10, after which the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 17, 2026.