UP Electoral Rolls See Massive Reset: 2.89 Crore Names Dropped After Special Revision

What happened: 2.89 crore voter names have been removed from Uttar Pradesh’s draft electoral rolls after a statewide Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Why it matters now: The revision comes just ahead of upcoming elections, raising questions around electoral accuracy, inclusion and transparency.

What changes for people: Citizens must verify their names and file claims or objections before the final roll is published on March 6.

Who is affected: Voters who migrated, passed away, or were registered at multiple locations, especially in urban and high-migration districts.

A major clean-up of India’s largest voter base

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has removed 2.89 crore names from Uttar Pradesh’s electoral rolls after completing the draft phase of a Special Intensive Revision, one of the most extensive voter roll exercises in recent years.

According to official data released on Tuesday, the deletions include 2.17 crore voters who have relocated, 46.23 lakh voters who are deceased, and 25.47 lakh voters found registered in more than one constituency. The revised draft list was published after the enumeration process was extended three times amid concerns over the scale and pace of deletions.

Why the revision was ordered

Election officials said the SIR was undertaken to ensure accurate, updated and fraud-free electoral rolls in India’s most populous state, which has a decisive influence on national elections.

An ECI official said the exercise relied on door-to-door verification, local records and field reports to identify outdated or duplicate entries. The Commission has underlined that the current list is only a draft, and that voters still have a window to contest deletions.

What voters should do now

The Election Commission has urged citizens to check their names immediately and take corrective steps if required.

Voters can file claims or objections at designated election offices.

Applications can also be submitted through official ECI platforms.

The final electoral roll will be published on March 6 after all valid corrections are processed.