The Election Commission of India held a meeting on September 26, 2026, making several key decisions regarding the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Commission has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi until October 30, 2026, with disposal extended until November 30, 2026. For Maharashtra, the filing deadline extends to October 12, 2026, with disposal until November 10, 2026.
Procedural changes include Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conducting home visits for document collection from persons with unmapped or discrepant records instead of requiring office hearings, with online hearings only in exceptional circumstances as decided by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Any adult family member can be authorized to attend hearings on behalf of electors. District Election Officers (DEOs) are mandated to create help desks and special camps for night shelter residents, laborers, poor people, and homeless individuals.
The Commission affirmed that the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Supreme Court, while non-SIR periods will use forms as per the Registration of Electors Rules 1960. A committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner with an independent expert from IIT/IIIT will review the ECINET system to ensure compliance with Acts and Rules, with all new IT initiatives requiring Committee of Officers discussion before Commission approval.
The SIR has been completed in 20 States/UTs including Bihar and West Bengal, with a special drive ordered for enrollment of left-out voters including young and first-time voters. The Commission clarified that recent correspondence with the Cabinet Secretary concerned personnel matters rather than policy issues, and all SIR orders were issued with unanimous Commission approval, as upheld by the Supreme Court on May 27, 2026.