Big Election Update: Uttar Pradesh Draft Electoral Rolls to Be Published Today — 5 Key Things Voters Must Know
Uttar Pradesh publishes draft electoral rolls today. Check 7 key updates, voter details, deadlines, and what electors must verify ahead of upcoming polls
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will publish the draft electoral rolls of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday under the Special Intensive Process (SIR) process.
Around 28.9 million (2.89 crore) names are likely to be dropped from the electoral rolls. The number constitutes 18.70% of electors enrolled in the voter list published in October 2025. Uttar Pradesh had 154.4 million voters, according to the October 2025 list.
The urban regions are likely to see a majority of the potential deletions – Ghaziabad (36.67%), Lucknow (30.88%), Kanpur Nagar (25.62%), Prayagraj (25.31%), Meerut (25.21%) and Agra (23.57%).
The enumeration phase of SIR had started in Uttar Pradesh on November 4. It concluded on December 26 after several extensions.
The number of ‘uncollectible voters’ in the state was 2.96 crore (29.6 million), according to December 11 data when the second round of the enumeration phase concluded. The figure dropped to 2.89 crore (28.9 million) voters going by December 26 data after the third round of the enumeration phase.
Among the 28.9 million uncollectible voters, 12. 9 million (8.40%) were categorised as permanently shifted, 4.6 million (2.99%) as deceased, 2.54 million ( 1.65%) as duplicate, and 7.95 million (5.15%) as untraceable, according to data. Another 774,472 voters (0.50%) had not returned enumeration forms after collecting them from booth-level officers.
The ECI had extended the date of publication of the draft electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh thrice. According to the initial schedule, announced on October 27, the draft electoral rolls were to be published on December 9.
Later, the date for the draft roll publication was extended to December 16, then to December 31 and later to January 6.
Under the EC’s revised schedule announced on December 30, the notice phase, adjudication of enumeration forms, disposal of claims and objections will be done from January 6 to February 6, 2026. The final publication of the Uttar Pradesh voter list will be done on March 6, 2026.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed concern over the deletion of a large number of voters in the state.
Addressing a meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party workers on December 14, he said, “Uttar Pradesh’s population stands at around 25 crore, of which nearly 65% should be eligible voters, translating to about 16 crore voters…However, during the SIR exercise, only around 12 crore names had been recorded so far….These are not your opponent’s voters, 85 to 90% of these missing voters are ours,”.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had asked his party workers to be vigilant. The party leaders involved in strengthening the party at the booth level should keep a close watch on the SIR regarding the voter list.
Include those whose names have not been included in the voter list, he had said.
The Election Commission is set to publish the draft electoral rolls for Uttar Pradesh today, marking a crucial step in the state’s election preparedness and voter verification process. The release of the draft voter list allows electors, political parties, and civil society groups to examine voter details and flag any discrepancies ahead of the final publication.
As India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh plays a decisive role in national and state-level elections. The publication of draft electoral rolls is therefore being closely watched, as it directly impacts electoral transparency, voter inclusion, and the credibility of the democratic process.
Draft electoral rolls are provisional voter lists that include names of eligible voters based on the latest revisions carried out by election authorities. These lists are not final and are released to give citizens an opportunity to verify personal details, check inclusion or deletion of names, and raise objections or corrections within a stipulated timeframe.
Election officials have stated that the draft rolls are prepared after months of data collection, including new voter registrations, deletions due to death or relocation, and corrections to existing entries.
The publication of the draft electoral rolls is a critical checkpoint before elections. It helps ensure that:
- Eligible voters are not excluded
- Ineligible or duplicate entries are removed
- Errors in names, addresses, age, or polling booth details are corrected
For political parties, the draft rolls serve as a key document to assess voter demographics, identify potential discrepancies, and raise concerns through formal channels.
Once the draft rolls are published, voters can check their details through designated election offices and official platforms. If discrepancies are found, electors can file claims or objections within the prescribed period.
Common corrections include spelling errors, incorrect age or address, wrong polling station allocation, and missing names. New voters who have recently applied for registration can also check whether their names have been included.
Election officials have urged citizens to actively participate in the verification process, stressing that voter awareness and involvement are essential to maintaining accurate electoral rolls.
The release of the draft electoral rolls also has political implications. Opposition parties often scrutinize the lists closely, alleging wrongful deletions or selective inclusion in sensitive constituencies. In previous election cycles, voter list accuracy has been a subject of intense debate, especially in closely contested seats.
Authorities, however, maintain that the revision process follows strict guidelines and is monitored at multiple levels to prevent errors or bias. Senior election officials have reiterated their commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections.
In recent years, election authorities have placed greater emphasis on enrolling first-time voters, women, migrant workers, and marginalized communities. Special drives are often conducted to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out due to lack of documentation or awareness.
The draft roll publication allows officials to assess the effectiveness of these inclusion efforts and make necessary corrections before finalizing the voter list.
After the objection and correction period ends, election authorities will review all claims, conduct field verifications where necessary, and make revisions. The final electoral rolls will then be published, forming the official voter list for upcoming elections.
Voters whose names appear in the final roll will be eligible to cast their ballots, making this stage one of the most important steps in the election timeline.
The publication of the Uttar Pradesh draft electoral rolls today underscores the scale and complexity of managing elections in a state with millions of voters. It also serves as a reminder that democracy relies not just on polling day, but on meticulous preparation and public participation well before ballots are cast.
As the verification window opens, voters are encouraged to check their details promptly to ensure their right to vote is protected and exercised without hurdles.
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