NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially indicated that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists across 22 states and union territories is expected to commence in April 2026. This announcement was made to state poll authorities in a letter sent on Thursday, February 19, 2026. States affected by this upcoming phase include Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi, among others.

As part of the SIR process, state authorities are required to undertake preparatory measures promptly. These include mapping existing voters to the electoral rolls last revised between 2002 and 2004, when the previous SIR was conducted. The ECI has stressed the importance of efficiently training booth-level officers (BLOs) who will play a crucial role in carrying out this revision.

Bihar had previously been the first state to undergo the SIR last year, leading up to their Assembly election. Following that, the ECI ordered a second phase of the SIR last October for an additional 12 states and union territories, which are currently in progress with some states like Uttar Pradesh receiving extended time to complete their revisions.

The announcement comes as the ECI prepares for other significant events, including the Population Census scheduled to launch simultaneously in April. The house listing operation will deploy around 3 million enumerators, primarily sourced from government school teachers, many of whom will also serve as BLOs during the SIR.

With both the SIR and Census overlapping in timeline, ECI sources have indicated that strategic discussions are underway with the Registrar General of India and the Census Commissioner to utilize available administrative resources effectively for both exercises. This coordinated approach aims to enhance electoral participation and ensure an accurate representation of the population during the upcoming national activities.