Uttar Pradesh's Draft Voter List: What You Need to Know About the Changes

Overview of the Draft Electoral Roll in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The upcoming draft electoral roll for Uttar Pradesh, set to be released on December 31, is expected to include approximately 12.55 crore voters. This figure reflects a significant reduction, with nearly 2.89 crore names removed from the previous voter list. The state's Chief Electoral Officer announced on Sunday that those whose names have been deleted will have the opportunity to contest this decision starting January 1.

Out of the 12,55,56,000 voters listed in the draft, over 1 crore fall into the 'unmapped' category. Notices will be dispatched to these individuals, requesting them to provide self-attested documents from a list of 12 specified by the Election Commission (EC) to transition into the 'mapped' category, as explained by CEO Navdeep Rinwa.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, themed 'Shuddh Nirvachak Namavali – Majboot Loktantra' (Clean Electoral Roll – Strong Democracy), commenced on November 4 and concluded on December 26 after two extensions, resulting in a refined draft voter list.

Beginning January 1, the EC will initiate a month-long process allowing nearly 2.89 crore voters, specifically 2,88,75,000, whose names were deleted for various reasons, to contest this action by submitting Form 6, as stated by Rinwa.

Form 6 is also available for new voters wishing to register, he added.

The removal of 2,88,75,000 names, which represents about 18.70% of the total 15,44,00,000 voters from the pre-SIR electoral roll, occurred due to reasons such as death, relocation, or registration elsewhere.

Most deletions were noted in major urban areas, including Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, and Kanpur.

Voters who are untraceable or missing and are among those deleted must provide proof of their inclusion in the 2003 SIR list or any documents prescribed by the EC to have their names reinstated.

From January 1 to 31, the EC will also accept objections regarding the inclusion of the nearly 12.55 crore names in the draft electoral roll. Objections can be submitted using Form 7.

If a valid objection is raised against a name in the draft list, that name may be removed.

Additionally, individuals in the 'unmapped' category who fail to provide necessary documents, such as a birth certificate or proof of residence, may also be excluded from the final list.

Rinwa noted that over 91% of voters in the draft list are mapped. Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will begin notifying the remaining unmapped voters to submit the required documents.

This process is expected to extend into February 2026.

He mentioned that fewer than 8 lakh individuals have not returned the forms distributed by booth-level officers, resulting in their deletion from the list.

"We cannot compel them to complete their forms," he remarked.

The removal of names from the voter list has sparked a political controversy in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in the country.

Opposition parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party and Congress, have raised concerns about the SIR process, claiming it is designed to benefit the ruling BJP.

The BJP has dismissed these allegations as 'bogus' and an attempt to protect 'ghuspaithiyas' (intruders).