The Election Commission has pushed back the door‑to‑door verification deadline for Delhi's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to August 8, citing slow digitisation. The final electoral roll will be released on October 19, giving authorities extra time to ensure accuracy.

मुख्य बिंदु (Key Takeaways)

  • Delhi SIR deadline extended to August 8
  • Draft roll to be released on August 17, final roll on October 19
  • Only 14.35% of forms digitised so far

The Election Commission (EC) announced on Wednesday that the ongoing door‑to‑door verification for Delhi’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll will now run until August 8. The decision comes as the digitisation of enumeration forms has lagged, putting additional pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) tasked with manual data entry.

Revised Timeline

Originally slated to conclude on July 29, the month‑long verification that began on June 30 has been extended by ten days. Consequently, the draft roll, which was to be published on August 5, will now appear on August 17. The window for filing claims and objections shifts to August 17‑September 16, with resolutions expected by October 15. The definitive electoral roll is scheduled for release on October 19.

Digitisation Bottlenecks

Data from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) shows that form distribution is complete across Old Delhi, New Delhi, and North East districts, reaching nearly all of the city’s 1.45 crore electors. However, only 14.35% (about 20.8 lakh) of the forms have been digitised. BLOs must manually map each elector using the BLO app and upload a scanned copy of the paper form, a process that remains time‑intensive.

Physical Verification Still Pending

More than 2.2 lakh online enumeration forms still await physical verification, according to EC figures. Officials emphasised that the remaining period will focus on collecting completed forms and confirming their details, ensuring no eligible voter is omitted from the roll.

Implications for Upcoming Elections

Extending the deadline is portrayed as a move to safeguard the accuracy of the voter list rather than a mere administrative delay. By allowing extra time for digitisation and verification, the EC aims to reduce future disputes over voter eligibility, especially ahead of the state and national elections slated for later this year. Experts suggest that accelerating digital workflows could streamline similar exercises in the future, enhancing both efficiency and transparency.