Tamil Nadu: EC To Release Integrated Draft Electoral Roll Today

The Election Commission is set to release the integrated draft electoral roll for Tamil Nadu on December 19. This follows a state-wide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, aimed at ensuring accuracy and inclusivity, according to a report in The Hindu.

Upon publication, detailed lists categorising individuals as deceased, untraceable, permanently relocated, or already registered will be accessible on district election officers' websites for public verification. Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik will hold a press conference in Chennai on Friday to address the draft roll's release.

To oversee the revision process, special roll observers have been deployed in eight states: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Their mandate is to monitor the exercise, safeguard against omissions or ineligible inclusions, and foster transparency. These officials have commenced their assignments, spending at least two days weekly in their designated states until the final rolls are published in February 2026. Their duties include consultations with political party leaders and meetings with election officers.

In response to requests from state officials, the Commission has extended the revision timeline in several regions. For Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, the enumeration period now concludes on December 14, with draft rolls publishing on December 19. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will finalize enumeration by December 18, publishing drafts on December 23. Uttar Pradesh's deadline extends to December 26, with its draft roll due on December 31.

Meanwhile, the process will conclude as originally scheduled on Thursday (December 12) in Goa, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, and West Bengal, with their draft rolls publishing on December 16. Kerala's schedule, revised earlier, will see enumeration end on December 18 and the draft roll published on December 23.