Odisha’s Voter Roll Revision Nears Completion: Form Distribution Reaches 98.95%, Digitisation Gains Momentum

Bhubaneswar/Nuapada: 14/06 Odisha’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Roll has entered a crucial phase, achieving an impressive 98.95% coverage in voter enumeration form distribution, marking a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to ensure a cleaner, more accurate, and transparent electoral database. As per the latest report released by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha, the large-scale exercise of distributing, collecting, and digitising voter enumeration forms is progressing at a rapid pace under the directives of the Election Commission of India. The initiative aims to eliminate discrepancies in the electoral roll and strengthen the integrity of the democratic process. By 6 PM on June 14, enumeration forms had been distributed to 3,30,49,188 voters, accounting for 98.95% of the state’s electorate. The achievement reflects the extensive groundwork carried out by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and election officials across urban and rural areas. While form distribution is nearing completion, the focus has now shifted towards digitisation of the collected data. According to official figures, 1,15,36,537 voter forms have already been digitised, representing 34.54% of the total electorate. Election authorities have described the progress as encouraging and stated that efforts are being intensified to expedite the remaining work within the stipulated timeline. Among all districts, Sundargarh has emerged as the top performer, becoming the first district in Odisha to achieve 100% distribution of voter enumeration forms. The district has also demonstrated remarkable efficiency in digitisation, successfully completing the process for 62.71% of its voters, the highest in the state so far. Officials noted that with nearly all eligible voters having received the forms, administrative machinery is now concentrating on data verification and digital processing. Once digitisation is completed, the electoral database will undergo a comprehensive scrutiny process to identify and remove the names of deceased, shifted, or otherwise ineligible voters. This will pave the way for the publication of a more accurate and error-free final electoral roll. The Election Commission has instructed all Booth Level Officers and field officials to complete the exercise within the prescribed schedule. The state government has set a target of June 28, 2026, for the completion of form distribution, collection, and digitisation activities. Authorities have appealed to citizens to extend full cooperation to BLOs visiting households and to submit their enumeration forms at the earliest. Election officials have also cautioned that failure to submit the forms within the stipulated period may lead to verification proceedings and other actions as per electoral regulations. With the voter roll revision exercise entering its final stretch, Odisha is poised to set a benchmark in electoral management, reinforcing transparency, accuracy, and public participation in the democratic process ahead of future elections.