SIR in Assam will be ‘very extensive’ after polls: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state will be carried out in a “very extensive and proper manner” once the Assembly elections are over, asserting that the process will be more comprehensive than the ongoing revision exercise.

Speaking to reporters after an official programme at Sonari, Sarma said a Special Revision of the electoral rolls is currently underway in Assam, but a full-fledged SIR will be conducted later. “Here, the SIR will be very extensive and properly done. I had requested the Election Commission to do the SIR even now, but they conducted the SR due to the non-publication of the NRC. We welcome the SIR,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister’s remarks come against the backdrop of the unresolved status of the National Register of Citizens in Assam. The final NRC, published on August 31, 2019, excluded 19,06,657 persons, while 3,11,21,004 names were included out of 3,30,27,661 applicants. However, the NRC has not been notified by the Registrar General of India to date, a factor Sarma said influenced the Election Commission’s decision to opt for a Special Revision instead of an SIR at this stage.

According to official data, the draft electoral roll prepared after the ongoing Special Revision reflects a total of 2,52,01,624 electors, marking a 1.35 per cent increase over the previous final roll published in January 2025. Between January 6 and December 27 last year, the rolls saw 7,86,841 additions and 4,47,196 deletions.

During the revision process, officials identified 4,78,992 deceased electors, 5,23,680 electors who had shifted their place of residence, and 53,619 cases of multiple entries. However, the Election Commission clarified that these names have not yet been removed from the rolls. The deletions or corrections will be carried out only after formal applications are received during the ongoing claims and objections period.

The final electoral roll for Assam is scheduled to be published on February 10, 2026.