Punjab Crosses 85% Voter Mapping as Electoral Roll Verification Drive Advances

Punjab has crossed the 85 per cent mark in voter mapping under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls , with nearly one lakh voters verified during special camps conducted across the state on Sunday, officials said.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra , special camps were organised at all 24,453 polling booths spread across Punjab's 117 Assembly constituencies to facilitate voter verification and ensure greater public participation in the exercise.

"In an overwhelming response during the camps, almost one lakh voters were mapped in one day," Mitra said in a statement, adding that the statewide voter mapping process has now exceeded 85 per cent completion .

The Election Commission is using data from the Special Intensive Revision conducted in 2003 as the baseline for matching and verifying entries in the current electoral rolls. As part of the next phase of the exercise, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door visits between June 25 and July 24 to assist voters in filling verification forms and updating records where necessary.

Electoral roll verification drives are considered a critical component of India's democratic process . The exercises help identify duplicate, shifted, deceased or otherwise ineligible entries while ensuring that eligible citizens are not left out of voter lists. Election authorities maintain that regular revisions strengthen the credibility of elections , improve the accuracy of voter databases and safeguard the principle of universal adult franchise .

At the same time, such verification exercises have often generated political debate and scrutiny . Opposition parties in different states have, at various times, expressed concerns over the possibility of genuine voters being excluded due to documentation issues, administrative errors or procedural challenges. Election authorities, however, have consistently maintained that the revision process is designed to enhance transparency and accuracy while providing multiple opportunities for citizens to verify and correct their details.

With Punjab's verification drive entering its next phase, election officials have urged voters to cooperate with BLOs and ensure their information is correctly reflected in the electoral rolls ahead of future elections.