SIR: Extended timelines spark controversy across states

New Delhi: The ongoing third phase of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has now stretched into a 5-6 month timeframe for several states, in contrast to the 98-day, or 3.2-month process in Bihar. This reflects persistent concerns and debates around the inclusion and deletion of voter names, necessitating multiple timeline extensions.

After nearly five extensions, Delhi's SIR process will now stretch into 5.8 months - more than 176 days - by the time it publishes its final roll on December 22 instead of the original October 7, according to the latest timeline extensions announced by the Election Commission of India on Thursday. ECI's original SIR format had a 95-to-100 day timeframe - enumeration, distribution and final roll publication.

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In fact, Bihar was not given any extension despite political demands, with ECI claiming that all previous intensive revisions were carried out in a similar timeframe.

However, the much-debated SIR phase 3 has seen a surge in Form 6 applications, unmapped voter entries caught in 'logical discrepancies', issuance of lakhs of notices and hearing necessities that have forced timeline extensions across states.

Andhra Pradesh's final roll will now take 5.15 months or 169 days; Telangana's will take 5.05 months; and Maharashtra, after nearly six extensions, will publish its final roll on November 30 instead of October 7 - a process spread over 5 months or 154 days.

Northeastern states have performed better, with Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur completing the process within the stipulated 100 days, along with Uttarakhand and Haryana. Karnataka's process stretched up to 3.9 months after two extensions.

Read more: Supreme Court grants 10 days to petitioners to reply to EC affidavit defending SIR

So far, Delhi has seen maximum extensions, adding 76 days to its SIR calendar, followed by Andhra Pradesh (69 days), Telangana (60 days) and Maharashtra (54 days).

In contrast, Bihar - the first state to undergo SIR in 2025 - wrapped up the entire process in 98 days (exactly 3.2 months), starting on June 24, 2025, and publishing its final roll on September 30, 2025.

Phase 2 of SIR, however, saw many state governments approaching the Supreme Court over tight timelines, with ECI permitting a few extensions that stretched the process by about a week, given little time left for imminent assembly elections in several states. West Bengal, the first state caught in the logical discrepancy maze, saw its SIR calendar shift to about 116 days.

Uttar Pradesh stood out with multiple extensions, stretching its SIR calendar to 158 days, or 5.2 months, amid a massive backlog of voter entries needing verification and reconciliation.

As the debate around SIR deepens, phase 3 of SIR has witnessed several extensions. On Thursday, amid ongoing court proceedings, ECI issued the fifth and sixth extensions for Delhi and Maharashtra, respectively, as well as the fourth and third extensions for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, along with two extensions for Haryana.