In a major electoral updating exercise, the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Maharashtra published the initial draft electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-2026 on 31 August 2026 across all 288 assembly constituencies. The comprehensive audit has resulted in the omission of more than 2.06 crore voters from the state's preliminary roll. Before the commencement of the SIR drive, Maharashtra had a total recorded voter count of 9,78,54,049. Following the field verification process, the revised draft roll currently incorporates 7,71,65,562 voters, which translates to 78.86 percent of the earlier registered electorate.
Demographic Breakdown of the Draft Electoral Roll
The updated draft voter list provides a detailed demographic breakdown of the electorate retained across the state. Out of the 7,71,65,562 electors currently included on the rolls, male voters constitute the largest block at 3,95,89,905. Female voters form another significant proportion, total testing at 3,75,72,570 registered individuals. Additionally, the draft list includes 3,087 voters registered under the third gender category. Election authorities have compiled these statistics after extensive verification across every polling area in all 288 legislative assembly seats.
Key Reasons for the Omission of 2.06 Crore Names
A staggering 2,06,88,487 voters, accounting for 21.14 percent of the total pre-revision electorate, could not be included in the draft electoral roll released by election authorities. The election administration has highlighted several factors responsible for this extensive deletion
- Unavailability at Registered Address: Numerous electors were found absent or untraceable at the residential addresses listed in official records during door-to-door verification.
- Permanent Relocation: A substantial number of voters had shifted their residence to alternative locations or outside the constituency without updating their voter credentials.
- Deceased Electors: A considerable count pertained to deceased individuals whose names had remained unpurged on the previous rolls.
- Duplicate Entries: Multiple entries or redundant enrollments across different polling stations or constituencies were identified and flagged.
- Form Non-Submission: Certain voters either declined to fill out the enumeration forms or failed to submit them due to various administrative and personal reasons.
Detailed district-wise listings along with the specific justification for every omitted voter have been made accessible on official election portals for public scrutiny. A similar Special Intensive Revision exercise conducted in Delhi had previously resulted in the deletion of 47.7 lakh voters from its draft electoral rolls.
Timeline for Claims, Objections, and Final Roll Release
To ensure that legitimate voters are not inadvertently disenfranchised, the Election Commission has established a dedicated window for submitting claims and objections. Citizens can register their grievances and apply for inclusion or correction from 31 August to 30 September 2026. To manage this massive exercise, election authorities have deployed 288 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) alongside more than 7,000 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) covering all 288 assembly segments in the state.
The statutory process involving the disposal of claims, processing of objections, and issuance of requisite notices will be conducted between 31 August and 29 October 2026. Once all verification procedures and corrections are finalized, the definitive, final voter list for Maharashtra is scheduled to be officially published on 4 November 2026.
