SYLLABUS
GS-2: Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States; Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies; Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Context: Recently, the Election Commission (EC) announced a special revision of electoral rolls in Assam, where Assembly polls are scheduled to be held next year.
More on the News
- The EC had earlier withheld the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process is completed.
- The 2019 NRC list in Assam had excluded nearly 19.6 lakh persons from the list of 3.3 crore applicants, but it is yet to be notified by the Registrar General of India (RGI).
- January 1, 2026, will be the qualifying date for the State to carry out the special revision.
- Section 21 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 provides for a “special revision” of electoral rolls.
Key Features of the Special Revision
- House-to-house Verification:
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house checks from 22 November to 20 December, verifying the entries of existing electors.
- However, voters would not have to fill out any enumeration forms as in the SIR. Rather, BLOs will use a pre-filled register to verify or correct data.
- BLOs will verify or correct personal details by consulting the head of household or the elector.
- Handling of D-Voters:
- D-Voters or “doubtful voters” whose citizenship is under scrutiny will not be re-verified during this SR, and their existing particulars will be carried over directly to the draft roll.
- Any deletions or modifications for D-Voters will happen only if there is an order from a Foreigners’ Tribunal or a court.
- Draft & Final Rolls:
- After verification, the integrated draft electoral roll will be published on 27 December 2025.
- During the exercise, the mandate for poll officials is that every eligible person, as per Article 326 of the Constitution of India and Section 16 and 19 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, is enrolled as a voter.
- There will be a period for claims and objections (though exact dates for the objection window are not consistently reported in all sources).
- The final roll will be out on 10 February 2026.
Special Revision (SR) instead of Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
- Assam was excluded from the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise announced by the Election Commission of India.
- The Election Commission opted for a Special Revision (SR) since citizenship verification in Assam is already under Supreme Court supervision due to specific provisions of the Citizenship Act.
- The SR serves as a middle path, more detailed as compared to the routine annual special summary revision, but less extensive and resource-heavy than an SIR.
Challenges and Concerns
- Transparency & Inclusiveness: While the process is structured, there could be concerns over whether all eligible citizens are properly verified and registered.
- Timing Risk: Since the final list is slated just a few months before elections, any delay or disputes in claims/objections can impact election readiness.
- Citizenship Overhang: The decision to carry forward D-Voters without fresh verification may raise questions about whether the exercise sufficiently addresses the contentious citizenship dimension in Assam.
Way Ahead
- Strengthening Transparency & Inclusiveness: Use GPS-tagged BLO visits, Aadhaar authentication (voluntary), and real-time dashboards to ensure no household is skipped.
- Managing Timing Risks: The Election Commission of India should publish a strict calendar for BLO verification, draft roll publication, and disposal of objections.
- Build Community Confidence: Launch localised awareness campaigns, deploy mobile facilitation units in remote and migrant-heavy areas, and create district-level 24×7 grievance redressal platforms to ensure citizens understand the SR process.