Bhubaneswar, May 15: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, R.S. Gopalan, announced on Friday that the voter list revision (SIR) process will commence on May 20, 2026. The eligibility date for including new voters has been set for July 1.
Addressing the media, the CEO stated that all eligible citizens who turn 18 by July 1, 2026, and meet other necessary qualifications will be included in the voter list during the revision process.
According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, preparatory activities, including training programs and printing work, will be conducted from May 20 to May 29. Verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will begin on May 30 and continue until June 28.
The rationalization of polling stations is expected to be completed by June 28. The draft voter list will be published on July 5, with a period for claims and objections set from July 5 to August 4. The resolution of these claims and objections will continue until September 2.
The final voter list will be published on September 6. The CEO noted that after the completion of the SIR process, the number of polling stations across the state will increase to 45,255, with 7,132 new centers added, serving approximately 1,200 voters each. Around 45,255 BLOs will be engaged in electoral management activities.
Gopalan mentioned that seven recognized political parties have appointed 27,723 booth-level agents across the state and urged parties to appoint agents for the remaining booths. Currently, over 33.4 million voters are registered in Odisha, with 94.61% of voter mapping already completed.
The CEO also informed the media that approximately 900,000 voters’ names have been marked for removal from the list during the pre-SIR process. Regarding the removal of names from the voter list, Gopalan stated that all ineligible individuals, including foreign nationals and those not qualified to remain on the list, will be removed as per the law.
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