Nagpur: Maharashtra voters will have to wait another week to see the first electoral roll emerging from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with Election Commission of India (ECI) postponing publication of the draft roll from Aug 24 to Aug 31. The revised schedule also pushes publication of the final electoral roll to Nov 4, while giving voters time from Aug 31 to Sept 30 to seek inclusion or challenge entries in the draft.Technically, this marks the third extension to Maharashtra’s SIR schedule — the first two extended the enumeration phase, while the latest revision pushes back publication of the draft electoral roll. The ECI issued the revised schedule on Aug 19, two days after the enumeration phase concluded on Aug 17.The poll panel said the schedule was revised to complete technical processes related to rationalisation of polling stations and preparation of the draft electoral roll. As per the new schedule, rationalisation and rearrangement of polling stations will be completed by Aug 24, followed by publication of the draft roll on Aug 31.The window assumes significance for electors whose enumeration forms could not be collected during SIR and who were classified as absent, shifted/migrated, deceased, duplicate or otherwise untraceable. The draft roll will provide the first clear indication of whose names have been retained and which electors need to act to establish their eligibility.Nagpur district has completed verification of all 46,38,589 electors, with signed enumeration forms received and digitised for 31,94,573 voters, or 68.87% of the electorate. Another 14,44,015 electors, or 31.13%, fall in the uncollectable pool, comprising 5.46 lakh absent/untraceable, 5.30 lakh permanently shifted, 2.4 lakh deceased, 1.18 lakh duplicate and 9,491 other cases. The administration said all voters except those categorised as deceased or duplicate will get an opportunity to present their case before Electoral Registration Officer during the claims period.Maharashtra chief electoral officer’s office clarified that citizens whose names are missing from the draft roll can seek inclusion during the claims-and-objections period. Those turning 18 on Oct 1, 2026, as well as eligible voters whose names are absent from the draft, can apply for inclusion through Form 6, online or offline.The process will continue beyond Sept 30, with the notice phase and disposal of claims and objections running until Oct 29. EC officials will use this period to scrutinise contested entries and decide cases before the final electoral roll is published on Nov 4.For voters, the key date has therefore shifted from Aug 24 to Aug 31, when the draft roll will show how the SIR exercise has altered Maharashtra’s electoral rolls and who may need to take corrective action before the final list is published.
