SIR Phase III: Enumeration, house visits by BLOs begin in Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur
New Delhi, May 31
The Election Commission of India said on Sunday that the enumeration phase under the Special Intensive Revision - Phase III has started for Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur.
An official said in a statement that the enumeration phase for Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur began on Saturday.
"All eligible electors whose Enumeration Forms are received by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) on or before June 28, 2026, will be included in the Draft Electoral Rolls," the ECI said.
"Electors who are unable to submit their Enumeration Forms by June 28, 2026, may apply through Form-6 along with the prescribed Declaration Form during the claims and objections period," it added.
During the enumeration phase of SIR, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conduct house-to-house visits and provide Enumeration Forms to all existing electors.
The ECI said electors may submit the duly filled form either through the BLO or online.
To ensure maximum coverage, BLOs will visit each household, for distribution, collection, and verification of forms.
"During house-to-house enumeration, the BLOs carry at least 30 blank Form-6 along with blank Declaration Forms, to supply to anyone who seeks to enroll as a new elector," it added.
"With a view to ensure more involvement of political parties, the Commission has allowed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of recognised political parties to collect from the public, up to 50 forms/day and hand it over to the BLO before the Draft Publication," the ECI said.
National and state-recognised political parties may appoint more BLAs to assist BLOs in the smooth and effective conduct of the SIR process, the Commission added.
The ECI, in exercise of its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India; Section 21 along with other applicable provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, ordered SIR in 16 states and 3 Union Territories (UTs) on May 14.
The Commission said the main objective of the SIR is -- No eligible citizen is left out while no ineligible person is included in the Electoral Roll.
Every person who is a citizen of India and who is not less than 18 years of age on the qualifying date and is not otherwise disqualified under any law shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral roll, the ECI added.
"In Odisha, there are 3.34 crore electors, 38,123 BLOs and 8,391 BLAs of political parties. In Mizoram, there are 8.75 lakh voters, 1,353 BLOs and 3,430 BLAs. Sikkim has 4.71 electors, 572 BLOs and 681 BLAs," the ECI said.
In Manipur, there are 20.92 lakh electors, 2,996 BLOs and 5,003 BLAs, the ECI said, urging electors to cooperate with election officials during the house-to-house visits.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some action in the Northeast! But 38,123 BLOs for Odisha vs 572 BLOs for Sikkim? That seems like a huge disparity. Hope the smaller states also get adequate manpower for thorough coverage.🙏
The BLA system allowing political parties to collect up to 50 forms/day is interesting. But we need to ensure this doesn't lead to duplication or fake entries. ECI should have checks in place. Otherwise good step towards electoral reform.
As someone from Manipur, I can say this is much needed. Many young people turn 18 but don't know how to register. The BLO visits are a blessing. But the June 28 deadline is tight - hope the monsoon rains don't hamper the process. 🌧️
Article 324 of the Constitution gives ECI this power. Good to see them exercising it seriously. But I wish this SIR was also implemented in states like Bihar and UP where voter registration still has issues. Every vote matters!
The numbers are interesting - Mizoram has only 8.75 lakh voters but 3,430 BLAs! That's actually good for small states to have more eyes on the process. Hope the BLO-BLA coordination works smoothly without any conflicts.
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