Over 2.73 Crore Gen Z Voters Added to Rolls Since SIR Began, Says Election Commission
The Election Commission says 2.73 crore voters aged 18-28 have been added to electoral rolls since the SIR exercise began in 2025, disputing reports that youth enrolment had stalled.
More than 2.73 crore voters in the 18 to 28 age group have been added to the electoral rolls since the Election Commission launched its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in 2025, according to poll body officials.
The figure was cited in response to reports that enrolment of young voters had effectively been halted because the annual Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls had not been carried out.
Officials rejected that reading, pointing to the continuous updation of electoral rolls, a process under which eligible citizens can apply for inclusion even outside an annual revision. The 2.73 crore additions cover first-time voters as well as young electors who were already eligible but were subsequently added to or updated on the rolls.
The poll body traced the mechanism to a 2021 amendment to Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Read with Section 19 of the same Act, it allows any person whose name is not on the rolls — or who turns 18 on January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1 — to register without waiting for any revision, as part of regular updation.
Officials also noted that both Special Summary Revision and Special Intensive Revision are conducted under Section 21(3) of the Act and are optional, with no legal requirement for the two to be held together.
The four qualifying dates were introduced through an amendment to Section 14(b) of the Act. An eligible citizen who has completed, or is completing, 18 years on any of these dates can file an advance application in Form 6, which is processed in the quarter in which the applicant reaches the qualifying age. The Commission has maintained that rolls are updated continuously after final publication, allowing registration without waiting for another revision.
The enrolment activity has run alongside several elections. Bihar voted in November 2025 after its SIR exercise, with the final roll containing more than 7.45 crore electors. This year, Assembly elections were held in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, with rolls revised ahead of those polls.
The Commission's position is that SIR, SSR and continuous updation are distinct processes, and that the 2.73 crore additions in the 18-28 bracket demonstrate that young voter enrolment continued through the SIR period.