ECI extends electoral roll revision in Andhra Pradesh until October 3, 2026

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the timeline for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Andhra Pradesh, allowing house-to-house enumeration to continue until July 24, 2026. This move pushes the draft publication of the electoral roll to July 31 and the final publication to October 3, 2026, as per the Commission’s updated schedule. The original deadline for the enumeration process was set to end on July 14.

Extension Follows State Request, Political Party Inputs

The decision to revise the schedule came after a formal request from Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Electoral Officer, supported by appeals from various political parties seeking more time for the ongoing process. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will now continue their house-to-house visits until July 24, alongside the rationalisation and re-arrangement of polling stations.

Key Dates in the Updated Schedule

Under the revised timeline, the draft electoral roll will be published on July 31, 2026. Citizens will have the opportunity to file claims and objections between July 31 and August 30, with the disposal of these submissions scheduled to conclude by September 28. The final electoral roll will be published on October 3, with July 1, 2026, serving as the qualifying date for voter eligibility.

Progress and Digitisation Challenges

As of July 13, 2026, 98.32% of the forms distributed to Andhra Pradesh’s 4.16 crore electors had been digitised, according to the Chief Electoral Officer’s bulletin. While districts like Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, and Eluru have completed their tasks, others, including NTR (95.43%), Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore (95.67%), Y.S.R. Kadapa (96.40%), and Visakhapatnam (96.56%), are still working to digitise nearly seven lakh remaining forms. The extension is expected to help BLOs, who number 46,397 across the state, complete this backlog.

ECI Calls for Awareness and Stakeholder Engagement

The ECI has instructed officials to ensure wide publicity for the revised schedule and formally notify all stakeholders, including political parties, about the changes. This extension aims to ensure comprehensive and accurate electoral rolls ahead of the final publication.

Source: The Hindu