SIR: 43.62 Lakh Names Deleted from Jharkhand Draft Electoral Roll; Claims and Objections Open Till September 4

Ranchi: The Election Commission has published the draft electoral roll and ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate) list for Jharkhand as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026, revealing that 43,61,987 voter names have been removed from the draft roll compared to the pre-SIR electoral database.

According to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jharkhand, the number of electors before the Special Intensive Revision stood at 2,64,63,236, while the draft electoral roll released on August 5 contains 2,21,01,249 voters. This means 43.62 lakh names have been excluded from the draft list following the verification exercise.

The draft roll comprises 1,12,06,755 male voters, 1,08,94,234 female voters and 260 third-gender voters.

Claims and Objections Till September 4

The Election Commission has invited claims and objections from August 5 to September 4, during which eligible citizens whose names are missing can apply for inclusion by submitting Form-6 along with the prescribed declaration and supporting documents. Hearings and verification will continue until October 3, while the final electoral roll will be published on October 7, 2026.

The Commission has appealed to all eligible Indian citizens, especially those who have attained or will attain 18 years of age by October 1, 2026, to verify their names and ensure they are enrolled.

Draft Roll Available Online and Offline

Voters can check their names through the ECINET mobile application, the Voters' Service Portal, and the CEO Jharkhand website, besides inspecting printed copies displayed at polling stations, panchayat offices, urban local body offices and offices of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs).

The ASDD list has also been published separately, enabling voters to see the reason why a particular name has been flagged or excluded during the revision process.

Special Focus on Missing and Shifted Voters

The Commission said the claims and objections phase aims to ensure 100 per cent enrolment of all eligible Indian citizens, including those who were left out of the draft roll or could not submit Enumeration Forms during the SIR exercise. Citizens who have shifted their residence within Jharkhand or migrated from another state can also apply for correction or transfer of their names through the prescribed forms.

Officials will issue notices and conduct hearings wherever voter eligibility or supporting documents require verification before passing speaking orders.

Polling Stations Rationalised

As part of the SIR exercise, the Election Commission has also undertaken a major rationalisation of polling stations to improve accessibility and voter convenience.

Across 24 districts and 81 Assembly constituencies, the state earlier had 29,571 polling stations. Following the exercise, 2,389 new polling stations have been approved, including 1,248 at existing polling locations and 1,141 at new locations, while 68 polling stations were merged. As a result, Jharkhand will now have 31,892 polling stations.

The CEO said the voter-centric initiative is aimed at strengthening last-mile electoral services by bringing polling stations closer to voters, improving accessibility and ensuring more efficient management of the polling process.

Social Media Campaign

To encourage voter participation, the CEO's office is also running a #NewVoters social media campaign, urging eligible citizens to verify their names, apply for enrolment if required, and motivate others to participate in the electoral process. The Commission has reiterated that every eligible citizen's inclusion in the electoral roll is essential for strengthening democracy.

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