Over 1.7 Crore Voters Dropped From Electoral Rolls Across 9 States After SIR; Voter Count Drops by 8%

New Delhi: Following the updation of the electoral rolld after SIR, the number of registered voters in nine Indian states and Union territories has declined by more than 1.70 crore.

Final electoral lists published by the Election Commission of India (ECI) show the combined electorate across Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands now totals about 19.75 crore, down from 21.45 crore before the SIR process began in late October 2025.

The drop — representing roughly an 8 percent reduction in voter numbers — reflects the deletion of outdated, duplicate or ineligible entries, as well as deaths or relocations since the previous rolls were maintained. Gujarat recorded the largest reduction in absolute terms, with approximately 77 lakh names removed, equivalent to a 13.4 percent decrease in its electorate. States such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also saw significant cuts of over 30 lakh names each.

Smaller jurisdictions displayed varied patterns: the electorate in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands dropped by nearly 17 percent, while Lakshadweep saw only a marginal decline. Meanwhile, Kerala’s voter list was reduced by over 3 percent.

While the exercise, which kept the Election Commission in the spotlight, has been completed in Bihar, it is currently underway in 12 states and Union territories covering nearly 60 crore electors.

The remaining 40 crore electors will be covered in 17 states and five Union territories. In Assam, a "special revision", instead of SIR, was completed on February 10.

Since the beginning, SIR has also fuelled political and legal challenges across India, with leaders in states such as West Bengal and Tamil Nadu approaching the Supreme Court over procedural concerns — including exclusion of eligible voters — related to the SIR process.