Uttar Pradesh Draft Electoral Roll Sparks Concerns Amid Massive Voter Exclusions

The Election Commission in Uttar Pradesh has published a draft electoral roll, omitting 2.89 crore voters. A month-long period for claims and objections is open until February 6, 2026, with the final roll due on March 6. Deceased, shifted, or duplicately registered voters account for the exclusions.

The Election Commission has initiated a month-long claims and objections period, following the publication of the draft electoral roll in Uttar Pradesh after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This provides an opportunity for individuals whose names are absent from the provisional list to rectify their status.

Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa announced that the window will be open until February 6, with the final roll set to be published on March 6. The draft roll has notably excluded 2.89 crore voters, retaining 12.55 crore out of the previous 15.44 crore registered voters.

Names have been omitted due to reasons such as deaths, permanent shifts, being untraceable, or duplicate registrations. Eligible voters who find discrepancies can check their status through various channels and file necessary forms to correct or update their information.

(With inputs from agencies.)