The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Odisha has concluded with around 17.67 lakh fewer voters on the final roll compared with the electorate before the exercise. The final electoral roll published on September 21 lists 3,16,32,754 voters, compared with 3,33,99,591 before the SIR began.
Odisha’s net deletion rate of around 5.3% was lower than that recorded in several other states covered by the SIR. According to figures cited in the report, Kerala recorded a 3.22% deletion rate, while Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar recorded rates of 5.74%, 5.97% and 5.95%, respectively. Deletion rates were considerably higher in states including West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
At the draft stage, Odisha had recorded a deletion rate of 6.03%. The draft roll published on July 5 contained 3,13,87,034 voters. The Election Commission’s schedule had provided a subsequent period for claims and objections before the final roll was prepared.
Several factors have been cited to explain Odisha’s comparatively lower deletion rate. One was the high return rate of enumeration forms. Around 93.97% of forms were reportedly returned, meaning roughly 6.03% were not submitted and were excluded at the draft stage.
Of around 20.12 lakh draft-stage exclusions, about 8.32 lakh were deceased voters, 10.07 lakh were classified as permanently shifted or untraceable, and around 1.58 lakh were identified as duplicate registrations. Odisha’s migration pattern was another factor. A significant portion of migration from the state is seasonal or circular, meaning migrant workers often retain their permanent addresses in Odisha.
The state had also undertaken electoral-roll scrutiny before the 2024 elections. A 2023 revision exercise reportedly removed around 3.45 lakh names of deceased voters.
The SIR process was not without controversy. Political parties raised questions over transparency and the deletion of voter names. In Bhadrak, allegations were also raised concerning Form 7 applications seeking deletion of some voters. These allegations have not been established as findings against election authorities.
The publication of the final roll does not end the correction process. Voters whose names have been removed can pursue the prescribed appeal process and can also apply for fresh inclusion through Form 6. The Election Commission’s Voter Services Portal provides facilities for checking electoral-roll details and submitting voter-related applications.
The Odisha exercise therefore leaves the focus on how deleted voters can verify their status and, where eligible, seek restoration of their names through the available electoral procedures.
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