Voter Roll Revisions: 43 Lakh Removed in Madhya Pradesh, 24 Lakh in Kerala

The Election Commission of India has announced significant changes to the electoral rolls in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala following the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise. On 23 December 2025, the commission published draft lists indicating that approximately 42.7 lakh voters have been removed in Madhya Pradesh, while Kerala experienced deletions exceeding 24 lakh. In Madhya Pradesh, the total voter population is now recorded at 5,31,31,983, a decrease from 5,74,06,143 noted on 27 October.

According to Ram Pratap Singh Jadon, the Joint Chief Electoral Officer for Madhya Pradesh, various categories of deletions contributed to this figure. Among those removed are over 8.46 lakh deceased individuals, more than 8.42 lakh voters whose whereabouts are untraceable, and nearly 22.78 lakh residents who have relocated. Additionally, the list includes 2.76 lakh duplicate entries and around 29,900 names classified under various other categories.

The commission has also identified approximately 8.65 lakh voters whose information is missing from the 2003 records, and these individuals will receive notices requiring them to present documentation to Electoral Registration Officers. In Kerala, the Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U Kelkar, reported that the state’s draft list reflects the removal of over 24 lakh names following the SIR enumeration process. The current total of registered voters in Kerala stands at 2,54,42,352, down from a pre-revision figure of 2,78,50,855. The deletions include more than 6.49 lakh deceased voters, 6.45 lakh untraceable electors, and over 8.16 lakh voters who have permanently moved.

The draft also saw the elimination of 1.36 lakh duplicate names and 1.60 lakh entries categorised differently. Kelkar stated that objections to the draft list are welcome until 22 January, with final voter rolls set to be published on 21 February. As part of the SIR initiative, Kerala has also conducted a voter-mapping exercise, achieving completion for about 93 per cent of cases by 18 December. The majority of unmapped cases were reported in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, and Ernakulam.

Booth-level officers will conduct hearings for these unmapped voters, issuing notices that explain the reasons for the hearings and the documentation required. Kelkar emphasised that booth-level officers visited households three times before categorising voters as untraceable. Those whose names are absent from the draft rolls will need to submit new applications for voter inclusion.

The first phase of the SIR was previously conducted in Bihar in September in advance of the state assembly elections. The ongoing exercise will also encompass other regions, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.