Nearly 97.4 Lakh Voters Removed from Tamil Nadu Rolls After SIR Exercise

Chennai: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has resulted in the removal of 97.4 lakh voter names from Tamil Nadu’s electoral list, significantly reducing the size of the state’s electorate. Following the revision, the total number of registered voters now stands at 5.43 crore, down from 6.41 crore prior to the exercise, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said on Friday.

According to election officials, the deletions were carried out after extensive ground-level verification conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in coordination with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties. The verification process aimed to identify ineligible or inaccurate entries in the voter list.

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Reasons Behind the Deletions

Patnaik explained that the removals were primarily due to voters being classified under specific categories during the verification process. Of the total 97.4 lakh deletions, 26.94 lakh names belonged to deceased individuals. Another 66.44 lakh voters were found to have permanently shifted residence or were repeatedly absent during verification visits. Additionally, 3.39 lakh voters were identified as having duplicate registrations across multiple locations.

Officials also noted that around 12,000 individuals voluntarily opted out of the electoral rolls during the revision exercise.

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The Chief Electoral Officer said the SIR was conducted strictly in accordance with established procedures, with the objective of improving the accuracy and integrity of the electoral database.

Revised Gender and Category Breakdown

Following the revision, the updated electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu now include 2.77 crore male voters and 2.66 crore female voters. The list also records 7,191 voters registered under the third-gender category.

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In addition, the rolls include 4.19 lakh differently-abled voters, officials said, adding that efforts are ongoing to ensure accessibility and inclusion for all eligible electors.

Constituencies with Highest Deletions

Among Assembly constituencies, Sholinganallur, Pallavaram, and Alandur recorded the highest number of deletions during the SIR process. Urban areas accounted for a significant portion of the removals.

In Chennai district alone, 14.25 lakh voter names were deleted from the rolls. Coimbatore district followed with 6.50 lakh deletions, reflecting large-scale changes in urban and semi-urban voter populations.

Election officials said population mobility, migration, and urban expansion were key factors contributing to the high number of deletions in these regions.

Developments in Gujarat

Meanwhile, a similar revision exercise in Gujarat has also led to substantial deletions. Authorities said nearly 74 lakh voter names were removed from Gujarat’s draft electoral rolls after the SIR, bringing the total electorate down to 4.34 crore from the earlier figure of 5.08 crore.

Claims and Objections Process Underway

Election authorities in both states have emphasised that the publication of draft rolls is not the final step. The claims and objections process has now begun, allowing eligible voters whose names were removed to seek re-inclusion or corrections.

Voters can submit prescribed forms to challenge deletions, update details, or report discrepancies. Officials said this stage is crucial to ensuring that no eligible voter is excluded due to procedural or verification-related issues.

The Election Commission has reiterated that the SIR process is intended to enhance the accuracy of electoral rolls ahead of future elections, while providing adequate opportunities for corrections before the lists are finalised.