ECI issues schedule for SSR; final list to be out on Jan 4

New Delhi, October 15 (IANS) The Election Commission on Thursday issued the schedule of Special Summary Revision (SSR) of Photo Electoral Rolls, with respect to January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date.According to the SSR schedule, the final electoral rolls will be published on January 4, 2027.In a letter written to CEOs of 17 States and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and West Bengal, the ECI said, “In States/UTs where SIR is going on or has just been completed (viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, NCT of Delhi, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, and Telangana), the schedule for SSR will be announced later.”“Also, for the three States/UTs namely Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, where SIR has not been started so far, the schedule for roll revision will be announced in due course of time, keeping in view their weather conditions,” said the official circular.According to the SSR schedule, the rationalisation and re-arrangement of polling stations will be completed by November 2, followed by publication of integrated draft electoral rolls by November 12.The claims and objections related to SSR will be disposed of by December 28, and the final electoral rolls will be published on January 4, it said.The ECI’s letter dated October 15 was addressed to CEOs of A&N Island, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.The letter said, “As you are aware, the Commission has issued instructions dated September 29, 2026 to undertake a special drive for the enrolment of left out/young/first time eligible electors.”“Now, to facilitate the enrolment of eligible electors with reference to the qualifying date of January 1, 2027, along with seeking advance applications for the three subsequent qualifying dates of April 1, July 1 & October 1, 2027, the Commission hereby directs that the existing electoral rolls shall be revised by conducting a Special Summary Revision (SSR),” it said.The SSR shall be conducted “under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, with reference to January 1, 2027 as the qualifying date, in the above-mentioned States/UTs including the states where elections to the Legislative Assemblies are due early next year”.Clarifying the official stand on the use of Aadhaar number, the ECI said, “The applicant can voluntarily furnish Aadhaar Number in Form-6 and Form-8. However, no application for inclusion of name in electoral roll shall be denied, and no entries in electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar Number.”