Election Commission Extends Voter List Update Deadline; Rajasthan Gets Four More Days for SIR

Jaipur:
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the deadline for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Rajasthan and several other states, giving voters additional time to file claims and objections. The revised last date for submitting applications is now January 19, 2026.

Along with Rajasthan, the extension applies to Puducherry, Goa, Lakshadweep and West Bengal, where the SIR process is currently underway. The decision comes ahead of the 2026 elections and aims to ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the electoral rolls.

Decision Taken After States’ Requests

In an official notification, the Election Commission stated that the decision was taken after considering requests from the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the concerned states and Union Territories. The Commission emphasized that the objective of the extension is to provide adequate opportunity to all eligible citizens to verify their details and seek corrections, inclusion or deletion where necessary.

The decision was communicated on Thursday through a formal letter sent to all concerned Chief Electoral Officers. The notification also refers to the Commission’s earlier communication dated December 27, 2025, which had outlined the complete SIR schedule and fixed January 1, 2026 as the qualifying date.

Extension Limited to Claims and Objections

The Election Commission has clarified that the extension applies only to the period for filing claims and objections. During this time, voters can verify their names, addresses and other personal details in the electoral roll. Applications for inclusion of new names or objections can be submitted through Form-6 and other prescribed forms.

The Commission has directed state authorities to publish the notification immediately in a special edition of the State Gazette and to send three copies to the Election Commission for official records.

Final Electoral Roll in February 2026

Chief Electoral Officers have also been instructed to widely publicize the extended deadline through media platforms, Booth Level Officers (BLOs), online portals and mobile applications, so that maximum voters are informed.

As per the earlier schedule, the draft electoral roll was published on December 16, 2025. After completion of all procedures, the final electoral roll will be published in February 2026.

The Election Commission has particularly urged new and first-time voters to complete the necessary formalities within the extended timeframe to ensure their participation in the upcoming elections.