Overview

• The Election Commission directed state chief electoral officers to be ready by September 30, signaling a possible October–November start to the cleanup exercise.
• States were told to use rolls from their last intensive revision as the baseline, with examples including Delhi’s 2008 list, Uttarakhand’s 2006 roll, and Bihar’s 2003 roll.
• The drive’s stated aim is to verify place of birth to identify ineligible foreign migrants, with house‑to‑house checks and a subsequent claims and objections phase envisioned.
• In Kerala, CPI(M), Congress and allies urged postponement until after the 2025 local body polls, asked to rely on the 2024 rolls, sought acceptance of ration cards, and pressed for safeguards for overseas voters, while the BJP backed the exercise.
• In Delhi, the BJP welcomed the SIR as a cleanup measure as Congress and AAP alleged it would enable targeted deletions; the Bihar pilot’s controversy and Supreme Court guidance to prevent wrongful exclusions, including allowing Aadhaar as ID, frame the rollout.