Archive · 20 Sep 2026
ECI Says SIR Notices Do Not Mean Voter Deletion
The Election Commission sent some Delhi voters notices about problems in their voter records.
The Commission said receiving a notice does not mean a person will lose the right to vote.
Notices were sent when records could not be matched with an older voter list or had other linking errors.
People can reply and provide documents to election officials.
Officials must give people a chance to be heard before deleting any name.
The Commission said its document list is only a guide and is not complete.
It said the notices concern people whose names are in the draft voter rolls.
The statement contains two dates for completing the process and publishing the final roll that appear inconsistent.
The Election Commission of India said SIR-related notices do not automatically mean Delhi voters’ names will be deleted.
System-generated notices were sent to voters whose records could not be linked or contained logical discrepancies with the previous intensive revision roll.
The ECI said names cannot be deleted without an opportunity to be heard and a speaking, appealable order.
Recipients may submit replies and documents to the Electoral Registration Officer or Booth Level Officer, with prescribed documents described as indicative rather than exhaustive.
The statement says notice disposal will finish by November 29, while the final-roll publication is listed as November 4, creating an apparent schedule discrepancy.
- Who
- The Election Commission of India and Delhi electors who received system-generated notices.
- What
- The ECI clarified that SIR-related notices concern record verification and do not by themselves delete voter names.
- When
- The clarification was issued on Sunday; the statement refers to the SIR 2026 schedule.
- Where
- New Delhi and the electoral rolls of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
- Why
- The ECI said it was responding to social and print media claims and correcting voter-data linking problems.
Election Commission’s clarification
Social media claims
Meaning of the notices
Election Commission’s clarification
The ECI says issuing a notice is part of correcting or verifying voter data and does not mean the elector’s name will be deleted.
Social media claims
Claims circulating on social and print media portrayed the notices as creating an existential threat or indicating voter-name deletion.
Deletion procedure
Election Commission’s clarification
The ECI says deletion requires an opportunity to be heard and a proper speaking and appealable order.
Social media claims
The reported claims raised concern that voters could lose their names from the rolls merely because they received notices.
- Issuing authority
- Election Commission of India
- Affected location
- National Capital Territory of Delhi
- Notice categories
- Voters whose records could not be linked to the last intensive revision roll, and voters with logical linking discrepancies
- Reported number of notices
- Nearly 32 lakh voters
- Required safeguard
- No name can be deleted without an opportunity to be heard and a speaking, appealable order
- Response process
- Electors may submit replies and documents to the concerned Electoral Registration Officer or Booth Level Officer
- Schedule stated by ECI
- Notice disposal by November 29; final electoral roll publication listed for November 4
- Notice publication
- Lists are available through the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, District Election Officers and Voter Centres