Meghalaya's Electoral Roll Revision Identifies Nearly 1.8 Lakh Electors as Ineligible

In Meghalaya, a recent electoral roll revision has revealed that nearly 1.8 lakh voters are classified as absent, deceased, or duplicates. This comprehensive house-to-house enumeration, conducted by Booth Level Officers, aimed to ensure accurate voter registration. The Chief Electoral Officer has outlined the categories of ineligible voters and emphasized the importance of verifying these cases before the upcoming electoral roll publication. The collaboration of political parties and community leaders has been crucial in this process, highlighting the commitment to transparency and public participation in the electoral system. As the state prepares for the next steps, the focus will be on resolving discrepancies identified during this revision.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 31, 2026, 10:10 IST

Overview of the Special Intensive Revision in Meghalaya

File image of SIR exercise in India (Photo: PTI)

Shillong, July 31: A senior election official announced that approximately 1.8 lakh voters in Meghalaya have been classified as absent, shifted, deceased, or duplicates (ASDD) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

The house-to-house visits conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) commenced on June 30 and concluded on July 29, during which enumeration forms were distributed to eligible voters for the SIR process.

Chief Electoral Officer BDR Tiwari reported that a total of 1,80,404 electors, representing 7.68 percent, were identified in the ASDD category.

This group includes 81,490 deceased voters, 45,013 who failed to return their enumeration forms, 42,532 who have permanently relocated, 4,668 who opted not to submit forms, and 6,701 duplicate registrations.

With the completion of the enumeration, Meghalaya has achieved full coverage under the SIR, with all 23,49,645 electors having submitted their forms either physically or digitally, according to an official statement.

The CEO's office noted that 7,75,337 electors, or 33 percent, were directly linked to the SIR 2005 database, while 11,69,670 electors, accounting for 49.78 percent, were identified as progeny by connecting their records to those of their parents or guardians in the 2005 database.

Additionally, 2,24,234 electors, or 9.54 percent, could not be matched with the 2005 database and have been categorized as 'No Mapping'.

These cases will undergo verification during the notice phase, which includes the claims and objections period from August 5 to September 3, prior to any decisions regarding their electoral status.

The CEO expressed appreciation to political parties for their collaboration, noting that the assistance of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by them significantly contributed to ensuring transparency and public engagement in the SIR process.

He also thanked election officials, village authorities, Nokmas, community leaders, civil society organizations, the media, and the citizens of Meghalaya for their support in successfully completing this initiative.

The Election Department will now concentrate on verifying electors in the 'No Mapping' and ASDD categories ahead of the draft electoral roll publication scheduled for August 5, as directed by the Election Commission of India.