UP Panchayat Elections: Final Voter List Deferred to February 6 Due to Slow Progress

Lucknow:
The Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission has revised the timeline for the 2026 three-tier Panchayat elections, pushing the release date of the final voter list from 15 January 2026 to 6 February 2026. The change comes amid slow progress in the large-scale revision of the electoral rolls.

Revised Schedule Released

According to the new timetable issued by the Commission, the draft voter list will now be published on 23 December, while the disposal of claims and objections will be carried out between 31 December and 6 January.

District election officials have been instructed to complete the computerised voter lists on time and ensure cross-verification at all levels. The Panchayat elections’ notification and subsequent electoral procedures will proceed on the basis of this final list.

Final List on 6 February

As per the revised schedule, the final voter list will be made public on 6 February 2026.
Between 30 January and 5 February, officials will complete physical verification of polling booths, determine voter serial numbers, prepare ward-wise mapping, and create photo copies of the updated voter rolls.

12.43 Crore Voters; Massive Duplication Challenge

The current Panchayat voter list contains approximately 12.43 crore voters. During scrutiny, officials identified nearly 2.27 crore duplicate entries, with around 90.76 lakh voters appearing two or three times. Slow progress in removing these duplications is the key reason for the extension.

Commission Tightens Oversight

Since August, the Commission has been instructing districts to delete duplicate entries and add new eligible voters. However, the pace remained sluggish in several districts. Simultaneously, the ongoing intensive revision of Assembly and Lok Sabha voter lists has also contributed to the delay, prompting the Commission to extend the deadline for final publication.