Madhya Pradesh Voter List Sees Massive Clean-up: Over 4.2 Million Names Deleted
In a significant move to ensure an accurate and up-to-date voter database, Madhya Pradesh has completed an extensive revision of its electoral rolls. This major exercise, described by officials as one of the largest in the state's history, has led to the removal of more than 42.7 lakh (4.27 million) voters. This represents a 7.4% reduction in the total electorate, bringing the overall voter count down from 5.7 crore to 5.3 crore.
Why Were So Many Voters Removed?
The comprehensive 44-day Special Intensive Revision (SIR) involved meticulous door-to-door verification across all 65,014 polling booths. Election officials provided clear reasons for the widespread deletions:
- Deceased Voters: Approximately 8.4 lakh individuals were removed from the list after being confirmed as deceased.
- Address Changes: A substantial 31.5 lakh voters had moved from their registered addresses.
- Duplicate Entries: Around 2.7 lakh names were identified and removed due to being duplicates.
Officials emphasized that this large-scale clean-up reflects significant population shifts over the past two decades, with the primary goal of creating a truly clean, precise, and current voter list for Madhya Pradesh.
The "Unmapped" Voter Challenge
Beyond the deletions, the revision process also identified about 8.4 lakh "unmapped" voters. These are individuals whose current details could not be successfully linked with records from the 2003 Special Intensive Revision. While their names are still present in the preliminary draft rolls, their status is under review.
Joint Chief Electoral Officer Ram Pratap Singh Jadaun clarified the next steps for these voters:
"The unmapped voters will receive a notice from their Booth Level Officer (BLO) and must submit the necessary documents within seven days," Jadaun stated. Failure to provide the required proof could result in their names being removed when the final electoral rolls are published.
Details of the Extensive Revision Process
The revision drive, initially running from November 4 to December 18 after an extension from the Election Commission, involved an impressive logistical effort:
- Over 65,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conducted house-to-house checks across urban and rural areas.
- Enumeration forms were successfully collected from 5.31 crore electors, covering more than 92% of the total voting population.
- The initiative spanned all 55 districts of Madhya Pradesh.
- A vast network of 230 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and 532 Assistant EROs, supported by panchayat secretaries, revenue staff, Gram Rojgar Sahayaks, and volunteers, ensured smooth operations.
- Crucially, six recognized national political parties actively participated, deploying 1.3 lakh booth level agents to oversee the process.
Safeguards and How to Lodge Objections
Officials have assured the public that all deletions are currently provisional. Strict revision guidelines prevent any name from being removed without prior notification and a formal "speaking order" from an ERO or AERO.
The window for claims and objections opened on Tuesday and will remain active until January 22, 2026. This crucial period allows citizens to:
- Apply for inclusion if their name is missing.
- Request corrections to their existing details.
- Seek restoration of their name if it was incorrectly deleted.
Further appeals can be made to the District Magistrate and, subsequently, to the Chief Electoral Officer, as per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
