Madhya Pradesh voter list revision sees muted party response despite 42.74 lakh deletions

The removal of 42.74 lakh names from Madhya Pradesh’s draft electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has triggered intense political debate, but early official data points to a surprisingly limited response from recognised political parties on the ground.

According to figures released by the Chief Electoral Officer of Madhya Pradesh, political parties filed only 1,305 claims and objections between December 23 and January 1, even as allegations of large-scale voter list manipulation continue to dominate political discourse.

Party participation remains low

Data shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) submitted 920 claims for inclusion and 27 objections seeking deletion during the initial phase.

The Congress filed 279 inclusion claims and 43 objections for removal of allegedly ineligible voters.

The limited engagement contrasts sharply with the opposition’s public criticism of the SIR exercise. Congress election affairs in-charge JP Dhanopia alleged that the BJP attempted to add ineligible voters with the assistance of booth-level officers, a charge the party has said it will challenge through formal mechanisms.

Individual voters far more active

While parties remained restrained, individual electors responded in large numbers.

Between December 23 and January 1, election authorities received 85,889 Form 6 applications for inclusion and 5,894 Form 7 objections for exclusion directly from voters. This reflects a net request for nearly 80,000 additional names, officials said.

All applications will undergo verification before any decision is taken.

How the revision was conducted

The claims and objections phase follows the publication of the draft electoral rolls on December 23, which came after a 44-day SIR drive conducted from November 4 to December 18.

More than 65,000 booth-level officers carried out door-to-door verification across the state. As a result, names of voters found deceased, relocated or duplicated were removed.

The exercise also flagged approximately 8.40 lakh “unmapped” voters, whose status is still under scrutiny.

Election officials urge patience

Election authorities stressed that <u>no deletion or addition is final at this stage</u>. The correction window will remain open till January 22, after which electoral registration officers will decide cases through hearings and written orders.

Officials maintain that the SIR is intended to ensure a clean, accurate and legally robust voter list ahead of upcoming elections, not to disadvantage any political group.

Why this matters now

Accurate electoral rolls are central to public trust, fair elections and democratic legitimacy. With national and state polls on the horizon, the outcome of the revision process could influence voter turnout, campaign strategies and legal challenges.

What to watch next

• Whether political parties increase filings before the January 22 deadline.

• Final decisions on the 8.40 lakh unmapped voters.

• Publication of the final electoral rolls and any legal or political fallout.