97 Lakh Voters Deleted in Tamil Nadu Draft Rolls

TL;DR

Draft Rolls Published: Election Commission of India released Tamil Nadu's integrated draft electoral rolls after Special Intensive Revision on December 19, 2025.
97.3 Lakh Deleted: Over 97.3 lakh electors removed statewide, with more than 35% of Chennai voters gone and 66.4 lakh due to shifts or absence.
High Deletion Rate: Deletions hit over 15% of Tamil Nadu's total electors, among the country's highest.

The story at a glance

The Election Commission of India published Tamil Nadu's draft electoral rolls on December 19, 2025, following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration period. Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik addressed the media on the deletions. This is reported now as part of the ongoing voter list cleanup ahead of potential elections.

Key points

Over 97.3 lakh electors deleted from Tamil Nadu's draft rolls, one of the highest numbers nationwide.
Deletions represent more than 15% of the state's total electors.
In Chennai, more than 35% of voters' names removed.
Among deletions, 66.4 lakh electors had shifted residence or were absent.
Draft rolls published after the SIR enumeration form period ended.

Details and context

Special Intensive Revision (SIR): This process involves intensive checks to update voter lists by removing ineligible names, such as those of shifted or absent persons.
Deletions in Chennai exceed one-third of its voters, highlighting urban mobility issues.
Tamil Nadu's high deletion count stands out compared to other states, per the article.

Why it matters

Voter roll accuracy affects election integrity by ensuring only eligible people vote. For Tamil Nadu residents, this means over 15% may need to re-register if wrongly deleted, especially in Chennai where impacts are heaviest. Watch for claims and appeals periods, as final rolls depend on verification outcomes.

FAQ

Q: What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

A: SIR is an ongoing process by the Election Commission of India to update electoral rolls through intensive checks. It led to the publication of Tamil Nadu's integrated draft rolls after the enumeration form period. Deletions targeted shifted or absent voters.

Q: How many voters were deleted in Tamil Nadu?

A: Over 97.3 lakh electors were removed from the draft rolls. This equals more than 15% of the state's total. Among them, 66.4 lakh had shifted or were absent.

Q: What was the deletion rate in Chennai?

A: More than 35% of Chennai's voters were removed, over a third of the city's total. This is part of the statewide SIR effort. Tamil Nadu saw one of the highest deletion numbers in the country.

Q: When were the draft rolls published?

A: The Election Commission published them on December 19, 2025. Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik addressed the media then. An update followed on December 24, 2025.