‘SIR’: Why Thousands of Pune Voters May Face Trouble During Electoral Roll Revision

Pune, 14th July 2026: The ongoing voter verification drive in Pune district has encountered major logistical challenges, with incomplete addresses in the electoral rolls hampering the distribution of enumeration forms. So far, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have distributed forms to only 39.33 lakh of the district’s 90.80 lakh registered voters, covering just 43% of the electorate.

As part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, BLOs are required to distribute an individual enumeration form to every registered voter by July 29. However, with more than 50 lakh voters yet to be covered, officials face an uphill task in completing the exercise within the stipulated deadline.

The digital progress of the campaign has also been slow. Although forms have been distributed to more than 39 lakh voters, only around 9% have been uploaded to the Election Commission’s portal so far.

Citing the scale of the exercise and practical difficulties on the ground, several BLOs have sought an extension of the deadline, saying the current timeline may not be sufficient to reach every voter and complete the verification process.

Election officials have warned that voters who fail to submit their completed enumeration forms within the stipulated period could be marked as “shifted” during the revision process. Such voters may subsequently be required to appear for a hearing and provide documentary proof before their names can be restored to the electoral rolls.

A BLO, requesting anonymity, said tracing several voters has become difficult due to incomplete or inaccurate addresses in the electoral database.

“Many voter records do not contain complete addresses. In several cases, even neighbours are unable to identify the person listed at the address. As mobile numbers are also unavailable for many voters, it becomes nearly impossible to contact them,” the official said.

The officer added that the campaign received a poor response during its initial days because many voters were unaware of the verification exercise. However, participation has improved after political parties began appealing to citizens to cooperate with the campaign, raising hopes that the pace of form distribution will increase in the coming days.

With less than two weeks remaining before the July 29 deadline, election authorities are banking on greater public participation and intensified field efforts to ensure the remaining voters are covered and the electoral rolls are updated accurately.