THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
MAY 14, 2026
The Election
Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced the third phase of its Special
Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Odisha among the first states
selected for the large-scale voter verification exercise aimed at strengthening
transparency and accuracy in voter lists.
The Phase-III
exercise will cover 16 states and three Union Territories in a phased manner,
spanning almost the entire country except Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir
and Ladakh.
In Odisha, the
qualifying date for the revision has been fixed as July 1, 2026, marking the
formal reference point for updating the electoral rolls. Preparatory work,
including training and printing activities, will be carried out from May 20 to
May 29, followed by house-to-house verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs)
from May 30 to June 28.
The draft electoral
roll will be published on July 5, while the final electoral roll will be
released on September 6 after disposal of claims and objections.
Over 38,123 BLOs and
8,391 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties will be engaged
in Odisha to verify more than 3.34 crore electors as on May 12, 2026.
Nationwide, around
3.94 lakh BLOs will conduct door-to-door verification of approximately 36.73
crore electors, assisted by 3.42 lakh BLAs.
The Election
Commission described the revision as a participative democratic exercise and
urged political parties to ensure appointment of BLAs at every polling booth to
enhance transparency and public participation.
