Chandigarh: The Election Commission has deleted the names of 20.66 lakh electors from the draft electoral roll of Punjab, officials said on Thursday, as the state moves into the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
Scale of deletions and categories
The removals constitute roughly 9.63% of Punjab’s registered electorate, which stood at 2.14 crore as of 9 June 2026. The deletions were recorded following a 40-day house-to-house enumeration carried out across all 117 Assembly constituencies between 25 June and 3 August.
The exercise categorised the deleted entries as follows:
- 9,44,131 voters marked as permanently shifted (4.40% of the register)
- 5,74,568 recorded as deceased (2.68%)
- 4,12,715 listed as untraceable (1.92%)
- 1,19,145 identified as duplicate entries (0.56%)
Process and next steps
Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra formally handed over the draft electoral roll to party representatives at a meeting held in Chandigarh on Thursday. She outlined the administrative steps available for citizens who wish to challenge or seek changes to the draft list.
“Young citizens with the qualifying date of 1 October 2026 are eligible for enrolment,” Anindita Mitra said, while briefing political representatives on prescribed forms and the timetable for claims and disposal.
The state election office emphasised that electors may submit representations using prescribed forms. These include:
- Form 6 — application for inclusion of a name
- Form 6A — for inclusion of NRI voters
- Form 7 — application for deletion of a name
- Form 8 — for correction of entries or shifting
Key dates and assistance
The schedule for public action and official disposal is as follows:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Claims and objections window | 13 August to 12 September 2026 |
| Special booth-level camp for verification | 16 August 2026 |
| Disposal of representations | 8 October 2026 |
The CEO announced a one-day special camp on 16 August at every polling station across the state. Booth-level officers will be present at the camps to assist electors in verifying entries and submitting forms. In addition, residents can review the draft roll online or visit local electoral offices to inspect entries.
Implications for voters and rural communities
Removing nearly 20.66 lakh names has direct consequences for enfranchisement, particularly in rural areas where migration, death records and duplicate registrations may be more common. The largest single category of deletions — those marked as permanently shifted — suggests substantial internal movement of households within or outside the state since the last roll update.
Farmers, seasonal migrants and families who moved for work should note the opportunity offered by the claims window and the special booth camps to ensure their names are correctly recorded. Young people who attain eligibility by the qualifying date of 1 October 2026 can apply for inclusion under Form 6.
How electors can act
Electors who find their names missing or incorrect should follow these steps:
- Check the draft roll online or at the local electoral office.
- Attend the verification camp at the polling booth on 16 August for on-the-spot assistance.
- Submit the appropriate form (Forms 6/6A/7/8) between 13 August and 12 September.
- Keep documentation ready — identity proof, residence proof or death certificate as applicable — for verification during disposal on 8 October.
Administrative transparency
Officials said the SIR exercise aimed to update the roll before future electoral events and to remove inaccuracies that can undermine the integrity of the register. The open window for claims and the deployment of booth-level officers intend to give voters practical recourse to correct mistakes without unduly delaying the revision process.
The deletion figures and timetable released in Chandigarh mark a significant step in Punjab’s electoral housekeeping ahead of the next qualifying deadlines and should prompt residents to verify their status well within the prescribed period.
