Maharashtra SEC Requests Postponement of Voter Roll Revision Until After Local Elections

The Maharashtra State Election Commission has asked the Election Commission of India to delay the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls until after local body elections due to limited staff and ongoing poll preparations.

Mumbai | October 15, 2025 — The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to postpone the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls until after the upcoming local body elections. The SEC stated that conducting both processes simultaneously would put excessive pressure on administrative staff and affect the smooth execution of elections across the state.

According to the SEC, most of the officers involved in the SIR process, such as deputy collectors and tahsildars, are also responsible for overseeing local elections. With elections for 29 municipal corporations, 247 municipal councils, 42 nagar panchayats, 336 panchayat samitis, and 32 zilla parishads scheduled to be completed as per Supreme Court directives, the SEC argued that staff would already be fully occupied with poll duties.

In a letter sent to the ECI, the state poll body explained that it would be impractical to carry out large-scale voter list corrections while election work is underway. The SEC suggested that the SIR could be conducted in early 2026 once the election process is completed.

Officials said the main goal is to avoid duplication of work and ensure that both voter roll updates and elections are handled efficiently. The SIR process is typically conducted to verify voter details, remove duplicate or deceased entries, and include new voters. However, SEC officials noted that the current focus must remain on ensuring timely and fair elections.

If the ECI agrees to postpone the SIR, it could delay the next major update of the electoral roll by several months. Critics have warned that this might result in outdated or inaccurate voter data being used for local polls. Still, SEC representatives believe that the administrative burden of running both tasks simultaneously could compromise election management and voter services.

As of now, the ECI has not responded to the SEC’s request, but officials expect a decision soon. The appeal reflects growing concern among state authorities about managing the high workload during an intense election schedule.

The SEC’s request highlights the delicate balance between maintaining accurate voter rolls and ensuring effective election administration. The final decision from the ECI will determine whether Maharashtra proceeds with elections under the existing voter list or delays the revision to ensure accuracy and administrative ease.

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